Treason
by Ms Monypeny
Summary: Seiya/Usagi - Joint fic between LiR and Odango. Princess Kakyuu and the Starlights return home to Kinmoku only to have Seiya face charges of treason. Usagi and the senshi are called to testify what happened on Earth.
1. Accusations

Treason

This is a joint fic between LiR and myself (Odango).  We were experimenting with the format of actually portraying the storyline and decided that it would be good from Seiya's point of view.  . ;; Though we all know how fickle LiR can be *notes her shooting not-so-nice glares in her direction* we may go to our usually style of third person perspective. Oh well, have fun with the ground work!

1

(Accusations)

It seemed an unlikely place for me to end up on this winter's day, in a bar of all places.  The snow fell softly, already beginning to blanket the world with its somber tone.  Taking my eyes from the window I looked across the table at my unusual companion.  A small chuckle escaped my lips, as all the unlikely scenarios had played together to create this one in its own.

"My pain?"  I asked, realizing I had not answered his question fully, but more so answering it with a question of my own to see if in fact I had gotten it right.

Kintra sat across from me, a hot cup of a frothy beverage warming the air before him.  There was a sullen expression budding in her features, but it was apparent that he was trying to hold it back, perhaps for my benefit.  The simple nod of his head was all that I needed to suffice my answer.

I let out a heavy sigh, knowing full well that this wasn't going to be an easy tale to tell, and that we were going to be here for some while.  "My pain.  Where did it begin?"  I questioned myself aloud, taking no mind if anyone had cared to be listening.  "Zankou, I'd like to say that Zankou was the cause of my pain, but then that would be pleading my own innocence at the same time, ne?  No, my pain is not directly caused by one soul."

I bowed my head deeply, my raven locks falling before my eyes, shielding my contemplation from my fellow Starlight.  "The very same month that we were released of Chaos, we headed here, home.  According to Taiki's calculations it had been nearly five years since we had last step foot on this soil.  I couldn't even begin to describe to you the overwhelming lust I had for this planet, but then again, you being the same as I, I'm sure you know all about it."

"I came back with the will to finally be happy.  Knowing that I had helped in protecting the fate of the entire universe, a feat no mere man or woman could hope to ascertain.  I can remember the day like it was yesterday.  The sun was high in the sky, casting it's afternoon rays down upon us, leaving only the trees that lined the streets to shield us from it's warmth.  There is an unmistakable sweetness here in the air on Kinmoku-sei, it isn't as apparent now in the depths of winter, but oh the way that it fogs the senses on those warm spring days."

"Seiya, you must keep in mind that I am very well aware of the emotional stirrings brought upon by the seasons, but what does this have to do with your trial?"  Kintra questioned from his patient seat across from me.

"Perhaps the weather could be blamed for what has happened to me."  I suggested lightly.  "I will not tell you any of what happened on Earth just yet, because I will get to that later.  I will begin with our long awaited arrival home."

"The energy broke away from us, clearing our vision to catch sight of our home world for the first time since Galaxia had struck.  Kakyuu, Yaten and Taiki's faces mirrored the shock that we all felt at that moment.  The once lush world that we had known had been completely restored and a warm haze passed over the orange tinted fields, welcoming us home."

"The same warmth that I had remembered from all those years ago flooded my senses and coming swiftly up before us I saw the familiar faces of the other Starlights and our friends.  You however were not among them, since you hadn't made it home yet as I later found out.  Over zealous faces peered at us longingly, faces I had feared that I would never see again due to this senseless war, we could all finally be at peace."

"The first of the group to come forth were Sailor Star Chaser and Developer.  They both wore their hearts on their sleeves as they bowed before the Princess with tears streaming down their faces.  The formalities of duty shining forth over their friendship of us and the Princess.  You know as well as I do what effect this would have on our Princess.  In gracefully movements she was beckoning Chaser and Developer to their feet."

"With her arms spread wide she welcomed them with a constructed sigh of 'My Starlights'.  Before the reverie went on and our allies were back in our arms, Chaser and Developer sped past the Princess towards me.  There was such determination in their eyes that it took me completely off guard.  Such a look to be bestowing upon a friend and allie."

"'Sailor Star Fighter' Chaser spoke, being the taller of the two and just a bit taller than myself, she charged upon me without fear.  Not even suspecting for a moment that this senshi would be out to harm me, I made no motion to move out of her path. 'You are under arrest.'  Even though Chaser said these words, doesn't mean that I understood their full implications."  I shifted in my seat as though recalling this memory to tell Kintra was causing me some sort of physical pain.

"I looked at Chaser, her dark orange, wavy hair was tied back in its usual fashion, she was exactly the way I remembered her.  No, this was no imposter, no matter how many faults I sought to see in her features.  The hold she took in restraining my arms was anything but friendly."

"I'm sure you can imagine my complete horror and shock at this little scene that they were presenting.  I looked questioningly over at the Princess after screeching out my disbelief.  Healer and Maker too were taken completely off guard.  'Is this some kind of a joke?' Healer questioned, clearly not amused, while Maker stood wide-eyed and staring."

"I felt my other arm be taken hold of and looked over to see the brown hair of Developer and her all too familiar features facing me.  Along with her extra protection, more of their actions were explained.  'You are under arrest and sentenced to trial by jury for the accusations of treason against you.'  She sounded as though she didn't want to say these words, I could plainly hear the hesitation in her voice, but that didn't make them untrue."

"By now I was thoroughly pissed off and struggling against their hold.  I remember screaming for them to let go of me, and my disgust of the whole situation.  The deepest feeling of betrayal flowed through my body as I looked from each one of their faces to the other.  These were my friends, my partners, and somehow now my lynches?  No I don't think so."  

I shook my head, ashamed that I had just admitted my temporary doubts of my longtime companions to Kintra.  I looked up and over at him to see his reaction to all of this so far, but his calloused eyes gave away nothing as he sat as poised as ever.  This was partially why I agreed to explain my story to him.  He wasn't with us on Earth, and he wasn't there when the others were told of my 'deceit'.  His deductive reasoning, essentially he seemed as though he was a much older man trapped in this youthful body.  True he did have this eerie calm about him, but it was masked by the innocence of his features that never truly gave way to the mastermind behind them.

"Healer soon joined my struggle against Developer and Chaser commanding them off me forcefully seeing as how her words had no effect on them.  The two wouldn't budge though, I don't think I ever remembered them being so powerful.  I'd like to blame my infidelity on the energy I exerted in coming home, but there's no need to point out my short comings now, is there?"  I chuckled a bit at my own displaced humor and noted a faint smile passing Kintra's lips.

Setting his cup down, Kintra looked at me questioningly, as though I had left an important piece out so far.  "And the Princess, she didn't have anything to say about all of this?"

"Oh on the contrary, she was outraged.  I have never seen her with so much fury in her eyes towards us, I mean she was even more pissed than when Healer and I were playing all of those practical jokes on one another and each one backfired on the Princess.  Anyway, back to that, the Princess demanded an explanation of their actions and they both released my to present her with a VERY deep bow.  I knew for sure that they were acting upon orders and truly didn't want to be partaking in this misguided judgment."

"'Princess, we were sent on orders to arrest Fighter when she returned for her heinous acts of treason against the crown of Kinmoku.'  Chaser explained to the Princess, possibly in hopes of her providing a counter explanation as to the matter at hand.  Now you and I both know that the Princess would never give such an order as this, and especially not to me!"  I flipped my hair over my shoulder, I was relaxing more, I had left the tension back at the palace, but it still lurked in my mind that I would return to it soon enough.

"This is the explanation that I received word for word, and you tell me how easily you swallow it: 'These orders were from Zankou.  Once we were restored, thanks to your efforts and combined with the powers that Sailor Moon possessed, we waited patiently for your return.  Zankou watched Earth closely to make sure that your highness and the Starlights were safe and on your way home.  Since you did not return immediately after Galaxia had been defeated, this stirred suspicion.  Zankou found that your return home was being held up indirectly by the doubts Fighter was having in her loyalty.'"

"I immediately spat back that it wasn't true, I still couldn't believe what was happening here, to be being accused of such a ridiculous crime!  Even though I know now that Chaser had nothing to do with the implications of this action, I still didn't waste my time in burrowing my eyes deep and dead set into her.  She was the one that explained the charge, so she was the one I focused my anger on."

"Clearly unphased by my expressions of hate towards her she continued on with her explanation.  'With Fighter's loyalty in question, and it in turn keeping your highness away from the safety of her home planet much longer than necessary, it was clear that treason was at hand.'"

"'You know nothing!' Healer barked in my defense, reminding me that I had someone on my side still.  The Princess also came to my aid, 'This is absurd!  I won't hear any more of it!'  Kakyuu turned to Developer, the brunette that still held to me.  'Release her, she is cleared of these charges.'"

If there was any lightness in my face, it vanished as soon as I came upon this part of my story.  All joking aside, a serious tone crossed my features, one that I was sure Kintra was unaccustomed to witnessing.  "Then he came.  Zankou began to part the crowd like impending death coming to settle our dispute.  'Princess, I'm afraid this matter can not be placed into your hands.'  He spoke to our Princess in this manner, as though she was a mere child he was to look after."

"'Your friendship with the Starlights may not let you see the true danger at hand and we can not be sure that Fighter has not used a mind charm on you.'  His old and decrepit face uttered these words and caused my fury to burn hotter inside of me.  Can you imagine me?  ME of all people using a mind charm on our Princess?  I think I'd die first."

Kintra offered up his words, I'm assuming to calm me down enough to continue my tale.  "You have to understand that he did put up a very well designed mask for the public though.  I still have no idea what happened on Earth, and if I didn't know of your character, the way the public doesn't, Zankou's accusations wouldn't seem out of place at all."

I felt my teeth grinding together in frustration, but realized that he was still on my side and that he was merely urging me to see the other side.  "Regardless of it all right now, I remained quiet and pretty much tried to kill Zankou with my looks.  Healer on the other hand, as you well know, could not be as discrete as Maker or I and began to yell at Zankou, 'I'll kick your butt from here to Katchetsu and back!', she threatened and caused the public to eye her suspiciously as though she may have aided me in my apparent crime.  Maker put her hand on Healer's shoulder forcefully pulling the silver haired Starlight back away from the commotion, we didn't need two of us in trouble."

"'Take her to the palace.  The hearing shall start tomorrow.'  Zankou motioned for Chaser and Developer to continue on with their task, ignoring the complaints and curses that arose from Healer and me.  Kakyuu stood still, not quite fathoming the whole situation, only knowing that it wasn't right, I could see it in her eyes."

Kintra listened intently and had now caught up to the where he did in fact come to the scene.  "I returned just after this whole charade took place and was sitting in our quarters when Yaten and Taiki came in."

"I take it they weren't too pleased?"  I chuckled, my mood lightening slightly, right now I'm going to blame it on the rum in my drink.

"Are those two ever pleased?"  Kintra jested but continued on, apparently pleased with the smirk he had caused to rise from me.  "Through their conversation is how I found out about all of this."

(Yaten and Taiki)

"Some welcome home, ne?"  Taiki walked into Yaten's room, closing the heavy door behind him.

"What the hell is going on?"  Yaten muttered under his breath as he continued to look out the window at Chaser below.  "They have to know that Seiya is innocent, they've grown up with us, they know he'd never commit treason!"

"Even so, they do still have to follow the orders of Zankou."  Taiki came beside the shorter male and gazed out the window.

"That's bullshit too!  Since when can Zankou dictate that the Princess isn't fit to be giving commands?"

Taiki sighed, having already come to terms with this, seeing no way around the process now, only thinking of how to prove Seiya's innocence.  "The Princess is almost like a puppet figure with branches and branches of delegates beneath her skirts.  Kinmoku is not truly run as a monarchy as the majority tends to believe, but instead the fate of this planet and judicial system rests on the many hands of the government.  One of those hands being Zankou.  Coming from the outside you have to see how he does make a valid point in saying that Kakyuu's judgment may have been warped by Seiya."

"But Seiya wouldn't do that."  Yaten answered quickly not letting any of what Taiki had just told him sink in.

"You know that and I know that, but that's not important right now since we're not the ones who are keeping Seiya under guard, are we?  We have to accept that this is happening and think of a way to help him, to prove his innocence."  The tall Light was nearing the point of frustration.  It was no surprise though, only Seiya and Yaten could truly push him to this point.

"Alright so what's your plan genius?"  Yaten asked, waiting for Taiki to lay his ultimate plan on him, the one that would save the world and free Seiya at the same time.

Taiki shrugged in response.  "I don't have one."

"Nani?!"  Yaten's green eyes were wide as he looked disbelievingly at Taiki.  "You don't know what to do for once?"

"Shut up Yaten, we have something else to worry about right now."

"And what is that?"

"The Sol Senshi."  Taiki answered thoughtfully.

"What about them?"

"Since Seiya is being tried for treasonous acts that he committed on another planet, witnesses from that planet will be brought in to testify."

"No, that means…"

"Exactly Usagi and the others will be her for the trial and have to give their statements."

"Oh great!! If they let Haruka take the stand Seiya is definitely a dead man!"

(End Yaten and Taiki)

"All along I sat quietly to the side."  Kintra had by now finished his cup and was reaching for his scarf draped over the back of the chair beside him.

"They'll be here tomorrow."  I thought wistfully.  My trial had already begun with the customary proceedings, pretty much just gaining my account of the events in question.   Tomorrow was the true beginning, and I couldn't help but wonder how my fate would turn out, it was after all in the hands of Odango and her friends.  They had no idea that one wrong word could seal my fate, and I was also questioning whether or not Haruka would tempt those boundaries purposely or not.


	2. Jupiter and Mercury

Treason

To clear something up:  Zankou is a character taken from LiR's fic 'Rekindling Stars', but in this fic he is much older but has mainly the same personality.

2

(Jupiter and Mercury)

The confinements of my room darkened my thoughts and my hopes.  I knew they were here, Kintra had informed me of such.  Odango was here on Kinmoku, holding my fate in her hands and I wasn't permitted to speak with her.  There was a battle raging between my mind and my heart, giving me a feeling of instability.  

Looking out my window the usual sight of the palace grounds did not meet my eyes.  The grounds were completely desolate, and not even the tracks of people had been made in the fresh snow that had only fallen this past night.  I allowed a sigh to escape my lips as I knew everyone in the kingdom would be at the 'official' start of my trial today.  It's not often that a Sailor Senshi is accused of doing anything unlawful, this was truly an event that someone would desire to witness.

Most of the inhabitants of Kinmoku had never set foot on any other planet besides this one that they called home.  The people that hadn't come interested in the political standings of their nation had come simply to set their eyes on Odango and her senshi, the aliens.  I laughed to myself lightly as I mused on how the tables had turned in that department.  It was strange how I could still find amusement in such small and trivial things, but there was just something in the back of my mind that told me all of this was too ludicrous to be real.

"Seiya?"  Kintra's voice echoed across the room and brought me from my inner thoughts.  He stood with a solemn look adorning his features and never took his hand from the door handle to my room.  "It's time."

I nodded my head to show I understood.  Taking one last look out on the pure white, simple snow, I rose to join him at the door.   "Time to face the music?"  I asked with a bit of half smirk coming to my lips.

Kintra only shook his head and slung his arm around my shoulders.  "You'll never change will you?  Not even when it seems an entire planet is against you."  I smiled at his comment and followed his lead down the hallway.  "I was talking to Yaten about what you three did on Earth."

"Oh."  Was all I could reply, I had purposely not told Kintra any details of our visit to Earth.

"Do you love her?"  He asked, not knowing the full pain that this statement alone could inflict on me.  I was sure the way Yaten had described the situation between Odango and it was not in a pleasant nature, he had no idea just how truly deep my affection towards the blond moon princess ran.

I looked to him, I was sure the hurt was apparent in my eyes, but that didn't matter.  Even if I had tried to mask such an emotion, he surely would have seen through it anyway, it was just a gift.  "Yes, I love her."

"Good."  He stated bluntly and I didn't even have time to think of my confused reaction before he started speaking again.  "As long as you still love our princess, they can never find you of treason."

'Our Princess'?  He was referring to Kakyuu and not Odango?

"All rise!"  Sailor Star Developer signaled from the head of the room.  The auditorium-like room was one I was familiar with.  Many trials had taken place here, many of which I had to help conduct due to my position as a Sailor Starlight.  How we became to be part of the legal system on our planet is beyond me, I would have been perfectly content only being called upon for the physical necessities of the job.  At the head of the room, the pinnacle of a raised platform, sat Kakyuu, on either side of her perched Zankou and Judge 13.  The room before them gave way to an open floor that stood between them and rows upon rows in a horseshoe shape, filled with on-lookers and observers.

My place, however, was off to the side.  To the left of Kakyuu was a solitary chair with a small end table accompanying it.  As Kintra and I walked into the room it became deafeningly silent.  Kintra walked with me as far as he could before Sailor Star Chaser came to escort me to my seat.  

Hushed whispers and comments filled the air giving the already stifling atmosphere a voice to haunt me with.  None of their conversations were clear, but it was obvious enough that they were not pleasant and were directed towards me.  I refused to meet any of their curious faces with my eyes, I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of seeing how they had broken me a little.  I didn't even pick my head up to look in the direction that I knew the Sol Senshi to be sitting in, I just couldn't.  I could feel all of their eyes on me and it was weight enough to drag me down further.  Oh what they didn't understand.

"Friends and loyal subjects of Princess Kakyuu and Kinmoku-sei.  We are gathered here under the most severe of circumstances."  Zankou was standing before the spectators, more importantly my Odango, explaining to them the proceedings of the day.  "Treason.  Sailor Star Fighter, Seiya Kou, has been charged with these accusations.  We are here to determine what really happened during Chaos' temporary reign.  Let me be the first to assure you that if our Princess' protector is found guilty of this heinous crime, it shall not go unpunished."

I scanned the section of the room where I knew Kintra, Taiki and Yaten were.  I noticed that Yaten was staring at me, his eyes signaling mine towards the Sol Senshi.  He was very adamant about my attention going there.  I dropped my guard and stole a quick glance over to them.  That one second, a small sliver in history proved to be quite painful.  I saw my Odango surrounded by her senshi, and being comforted by her Mamo-chan.

My head dropped, bringing my gaze to my hands in my lap.  The adrenaline swelled in my body and my mind circled.  What was he doing here?  I had nothing to do with him on Earth… No… What if he…

"Sailor Jupiter, Makoto Kino please take the platform."  Zankou's voice emanated from the speakers lining the walls of the giant circular room.  A feeling of anger swept through my body at the mere fact he was allowed to address them.  I felt that he wasn't even good enough to say their names.

Once Makoto had left the sanctity of her fellow senshi my eyes were immediately upon her.  She walked with a slight fear, but was haughtily trying to cover it up with a postured appearance.  She may have been a tomboy but she was just as soft as the rest.  Her green eyes lifted and locked with mine temporarily.  A wave of peaceful serenity swept through my body as she passed me a weak smile that I couldn't help but return.

With his long sweeping robes following him, Zankou descended from his perched seat beside Kakyuu to walk up the floor before Makoto.  With his back to the poor senshi of Jupiter, he addressed the crowd before him.  "We have special witness' to this trial.  The senshi of the Sol System have come here to our humble planet to retell their accounts of the matter in question.  I would like to thank them heartily for their cooperation."

Cooperation my ass, I was more than sure that the invitation Zankou had extended to Odango was anything less than friendly and polite.  A demanding of their presence on our planet would have probably been closer to the truth.  No matter, they were here now… and they brought him.

"Kino-san, can you please explain your relationship with the defendant."  Zankou asked, commencing the trial at hand.

I could see Makoto shift uncomfortably in her seat and it made me shake my head.  Every nervous movement she made came across as her trying to cover my guilt.  "We were friends… and classmates."

"Classmates?"  Zankou asked, every detail had to be explained, since the majority of the population knew nothing of our excursions on Earth.

"Yes, Seiya, Taiki and Yaten went to school with us on Earth.  I believe it was to keep up their disguise as idols so they could intensify their search for Princess Kakyuu."  Makoto's eyes followed Zankou's pacing form as he brought is hand to his chin in contemplation.  I simply nodded my head with a smile, thanking Makoto in my mind for reverting the discussion back to our undying devotion to our princess.

"So you're telling me that while the Starlights were on Earth in the middle of one of the biggest crisis' in the universe, they were going around as normal teenagers, playing sports and flirting with girls?"  A sly smirk came to Zankou's decrepit face and he was sure to turn to me so that I could see it.

"No!"  Makoto argued shaking her head, the brunette just about rose from her seat.  "That's not what I said.  You don't understand."

"Then why don't you explain to us what I don't understand.  How the defendant decided that it was more fun to play make-believe than to complete his mission?  Or how they-"

"NO!"  Makoto's stern voice cut him off as she stood to face him off.

"Kino-san, may I remind you that you are on the stand and representing your home world with your words and actions?"  Judge 13 spoke gently to her from his seat above her.  He was a kind and elderly man, though his age nearly matched Zankou's, it was the only similarity between the two.  Makoto's outburst in turn spawned another stupid grin to appear on Zankou's face and Makoto retracted calmly.

"Seiya and the others never strayed from their mission.  Everything they did, every breath they took while they were on Earth was an effort to find Kakyuu-hime.  Their dedication should be unquestioned and if you had dealt with or even seen HALF of the hardships they had to go through to secure the future that you're living in now, you wouldn't even think of having this ridiculous trial!"  By now Makoto's green eyes were blazing and her words were coming out without premeditation.  

My heart sighed heavily as the clouds seemed to break for a moment and let in a true ray of sunshine.  The whispers and gasped picked up once again in the audience and I saw the smiles planted on Yaten and Taiki's faces.  My happiness was short lived however when Zankou began his questioning once more.  "Kino-san?  Did you die in the battle with Chaos?"

The auditorium fell silent as they waited almost impatiently for Makoto's answer.  I unfortunately knew what was coming and exactly where Zankou was going.  "Y-yes I did.  I died protecting-"

Zankou cut her statement off, "So you have no knowledge of what happened in the end of the battle, do you?"  Makoto shook her head lowly.  I growled in frustration, if he had only let her continue and claim that she had been protecting me, her faith in me would have been solidified.  But perhaps it was better off that she wasn't allowed to continue… the audience may had believed her to be in on the charges of treason set against me, and that was not something that we needed.

"Thank you Kino-san, that's all."  Zankou bowed to her and moved behind her to go to his place beside Kakyuu.

"You may return to your seat Kino-san."  Judge 13 smiled to her.  My head went down into my hands as I laced my fingers through my hair.  

"You don't have someone questioning us in Seiya's defense?"  Makoto asked confused as she stood hesitantly, obviously assuming that a mistake had been made.

My head came up and I watched as Makoto looked around confused, looking to Taiki and Yaten for an answer, while Taiki merely shook his head.  Zankou chuckled at her comment.  I perceived his gesture as being extremely rude and indignantly insulting her intelligence.  "My dear, I was not prosecuting Sailor Star Fighter, we are not here to prove that she is guilty.  We are simply here to gather facts and nothing more, so that the citizens of Kinmoku may make a decision based upon what they deem to be the truth."  His hand rose out to his side, in essence telling Makoto not to say anymore and to excuse herself.

"Princess, would you like to take a short break before our next witness?"  Judge 13 asked Kakyuu with a fatherly tone.  It was apparent to anyone, not just me who had known her all my life, that she was not taking this whole ordeal lightly.

Her long ruby tresses shifted around her as she shook her head while looking down.  "No, let's get this over with."

"Zankou, please call the next witness."  Judge 13 ushered him back to the floor.  My heart pounded loudly in my chest, he could possibly be calling Odango, or worse Haruka to the stand right now.  I wasn't sure whether or not my heart was going to let me live through the trial.

"Sailor Mercury, Ami Mizuno please take the platform."  I breathed a sigh of relief, Ami was not a person I was worried about, not for a second would I ever question her tactics.  I'm not implying that I thought the others were incompetent, it just seemed to me that Ami would have ways of communicating her point across so that it would not be misunderstood in the same manner as Makoto's.

"Mizuno-san, were you too a friend and classmate of the defendant?"  Zankou asked, he had to repeat the same questions to create her standing.  Ami's head simply nodded signaling that she was.

"Being a Sailor Senshi yourself, do you trust Sailor Star Fighter enough to fight beside her?"

"Yes completely."  Ami's answer was spoken without hesitation solidifying her statement.

"Was there a time that you didn't feel this way?"  Zankou asked.  Questions began to run through my head as to why he was asking this.  I had already thanked my stars that he truly didn't know EVERYTHING that went on during our stay on Earth, for I know his questioning would have been more calculated and devious.

"No I didn't.  When we first met the Starlights we didn't trust them, but I believe that would have been common measure for any senshi who was protecting their Princess and their planet."  Ami's face was placid, giving no signs to status of her mood.

"Your Princess.  If you would, please tell us a bit about her."

My blood boiled at his statement.  Why was he bringing Odango into this?  What could he possibly be thinking?  Ami's face didn't look puzzled but she questioned him either way.  "I thought this trial was about Sailor Star Fighter, not Princess Serenity?"

"Please answer the question."  Judge 13 turned to her and pushed her forth in her questioning.  I had silently hoped that he would have put a stop to the road that Zankou was leading everyone down, but it was just that, silent.

"Princess Serenity is heir to the Moon Kingdom and the keeper of the Silver Imperium Crystal.  She was reincarnated by her deceased mother during a fierce and exhausting battle that took place on the moon nearly a thousand years ago, in her reincarnate form she is Usagi Tsukino."  Straight forwards and simple facts.

"Yes, we are all well aware of the royal standings of your Princess, please give us insight into her personality."  This was torture, he had no right to know anything about my Odango.  Without thinking of what I was doing, my blood already pumping through my veins faster than it needed to be, I looked over at my Odango and caught sight of her staring directly at me.  Quickly I turned my head away, still not believing that she was here, seeing me as a common criminal.

"Usagi is the most caring being I've ever had the privilege of meeting.  She would sacrifice anything to make sure that others were happy and her spirit is just as inviting as the silver moonlight that fuels it."  Ami's description of Odango was truthful and beautiful, I myself could have thought of a million other words to say about her… none of which would help my current standings though.

"Once you found out that the Starlights were in fact your allies, is that once your feelings changed towards them, dropping your guard on your princess?"  Zankou questioned looking the water senshi in the eye.

"No."  The audience gasped and I was a bit confused myself.  This was something that was never discussed between us and the inners.  I was becoming more curious to find her answer.

"And why was that?"  Zankou asked, clearly becoming amused.

"Fighter was trusted completely in the eyes of in the inner senshi of the Sol System, but Healer and Maker were the immediate threat.  Their animosity towards us did not halt when our true identities were revealed."

"No… Ami…"  I said in a whisper as I dropped my head.  I noticed that I drawn Kakyuu's attention to me also.

"Why do you believe they were still a threat and not Fighter?"

I could see plainly that Ami had realized her mistake too late and faltered in her next answer, taking much longer to give it.  "They did not like our princess."

"And why not?"  Zankou knew that he was on to something and wasn't about to let this go, it could possibly been my fault, he had seen my reaction to the questioning, and also Yaten's disappointed face.

"They believed that Sailor Moon, Usagi was a distraction to their mission, or more importantly to Fighter."  Her voice went down in pitch as she tried to advert her eyes from Zankou's and looking anywhere but at me.

"They were questioning Fighter's loyalty even then?"  Zankou mused as he dramatically looked over the audience to see and make sure that his statement was having the desired effect on them.  It was.  They gasped, they were appalled.  

"Yes…"  Ami spoke barely above a whisper, it was plain she was trying to hold back her tears.  "… but you have to understand what Fighter was doing.  Sailor Moon possessed a power that the Starlights didn't have, her motives in seeking out Sailor Moon were to gain her power to help end the war, to find Princess Kakyuu."

Ami's explanation, well maybe more excuse is the correct term, came a bit too late.  The idea of treason had already begun to formulate in the minds of the audience, and I was sure that Zankou would be done with her.  "Thank you."  Zankou said to the senshi of Mercury, signaling her leave.

"I need a break."  Kakyuu spoke to Judge 13 and he nodded and stood.  While he was announcing their short break my princess passed me a loving gaze and I could tell that she had been on the verge of tears too.  The crowd broke up to stretch and I chanced another glance at my Odango.  All of the Sol Senshi had gotten up, talking heatedly amongst themselves about the trial nonetheless while Odango remained in her seat… staring at me.  From such a distance I couldn't read the expression on her face, I only knew that she had her eyes set on mine.  "May I speak with you Fighter?"  Kakyuu broke my contact and lead me away from my 'cubical from hell'.

Once we were in the seclusion of a room off to the side, she said no words only wrapped me in a warm embrace.  "Princess?"  I asked, not sure whether or not she was alright.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry that you have to go through this my Starlight."  There were crystalline tears in her eyes and my heart felt as though it had just cracked.

"It's not your fault Princess, don't cry for me!"  I tried to reassure her as I took her back in my arms.  "I'll get through this, just believe in me, please?"  I stroked her back as I felt her sob against me.  Did she doubt the outcome of this trial?

"I will always believe in you."  

"Seiya!"  Yaten's voice spoke sternly as the wooden door to the room we were in opened.  "Gomen ne Princess."  Yaten bowed to Kakyuu, strengthening his apology.  

Kakyuu straightened up and smiled at Yaten.  "It's quite alright Healer."

"If Mercury gave that kind of statement, I hate to imagine what convictions will pour from Haruka's lips."  Taiki added, voicing the thought that was on all of our minds.  "Princess, who else is on the platform today?"

I looked anxiously towards Kakyuu, just as Yaten and Taiki did the same.  Was my life going to end today, or did I have a chance to dream of tomorrow?  "Minako and Rei."  I felt a sighed in relief, how many times had I done this today?  This was definitely wearing on my constitution.  "Setsuna, Hotaru and Mamoru will not be testifying, they had next to no contact with you on Earth as I've explained to Zankou and Judge 13.  They are only here as Usagi's protectors."

"So tomorrow will be Haruka, Michiru and Odango?"  I asked almost afraid of her answer, in a way I was almost now pleading for tomorrow NOT to come.

"No."  Kakyuu answered stiffly and looked towards Yaten and Taiki.  "Tomorrow will be Haruka, Michiru, Healer and Maker."

"WHAT?!"  Yaten yelled astonished.    


	3. Venus and Mars

Treason

3

(Venus and Mars)

I watched as Yaten's stunned green eyes searched Kakyuu's face for any sign that she may not be serious.  I must admit that I wasn't completely shocked by this turn of events.  Taiki and Yaten truly couldn't have expected that they would have been left out of the proceedings, it was just the question of why they had waited so long into the formalities of the whole ordeal to present them as witnesses.

Without knocking, since Taiki had left the door ajar, Judge 13 walked casually into the room.  "This is quite the scandal we have on our hands."  He smiled at Kakyuu and allowed his eyes to scan over the rest of us.  

His comment provoked and uneasy feeling in my stomach, one that I immediately passed off as rage, but came to settle that it was only added fret.  When I looked up at him I found his eyes searching my face.  What was he thinking?  "Please Judge, this isn't such a matter."  Kakyuu sighed as she brought her hand up to her forehead.  Immediately I was at her side, always fearing the worst.

My actions provoked a smile from Judge 13 that I caught as he turned to leave.  "Princess, please take your time, we will continue when you return."  His tone was so gentle when it was directed towards Kakyuu, but I had seen him degrade and tear down the moral fibers of criminals, leaving them to crumble before him as shells of their former selves.  An unique way to manipulate his power, these were the only type of people that I feared.  Kintra was the same, and in truth the only other person I knew to possess the suave power of camouflaged force.  I'm glad he's on our side.

"Fighter?"  Kakyuu asked as she looked up into my face.  I was unconsciously holding her while I delved into my thoughts.  A blush swept over my face as I released her and stepped back.  "I'm scared Fighter."

"Oh Princess, don't be."  I said trying to comfort her, taking a step closer to her, regaining the ground that I had just lost moments ago.

"I know it's wrong for me to be scared, I can only imagine how you feel right now."  I saw the tears welling up in her eyes and it pained me deeply to see such a sight.  "He's twisting everything they say around."

"Princess, I believe in the justice system that you have set up here on Kinmoku."  Taiki stepped forward placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder as he addressed our saddened princess.  "The truth will be brought forward and there will be no doubting Seiya's innocence or loyalty."

I watched as Kakyuu nodded, her mood somehow becoming a bit more energized as she gracefully wiped away the lone tear that had spilt from its ruby prison.  Without saying another word she turned and walked out of the room, not motioning for us to follow her.  

"He's killing you out there!"  Yaten turned to me with narrow eyes.  "I didn't want to say anything in front of the Princess to upset her, but –"

"Yaten!"  Taiki scolded him and then looked into my eyes, perhaps to try and read my expression.

"No, Taiki, he's right."  I sighed as my head hung low.  "I know I should have faith in the system, I know that all the facts and truth will be presented… and THAT is what scares me."

"Nani?"  Taiki questioned in an uncommonly confused manner.  "Seiya what are you saying?"

"What if I AM guilty?"

"You're not!"  Taiki fought back against my own accusation while Yaten remained silent.  I knew this was what my silver-haired companion was thinking about, and it only reinforced my own doubts of the situation.

"I'm not going to deny it, I didn't want to return to Kinmoku."  I didn't dare look Taiki in the eye after saying this, I knew well enough his reaction and didn't need to torture myself with his scornful eyes.

"We're waiting for you."  Zankou spoke as he surveyed the room.  Taiki, as well as Yaten, and I knew better than to continue our current conversation in front of him and walked purposely out into the main room.

"Piss off."  Yaten hissed at him as he walked by, though all of this was happening, I had to try and contain myself from allowing a chuckle to escape my lips.  A low growl emanated from Zankou's throat and a new, deeper scowl set in upon his face.

I resumed my seat in solitude near Kakyuu.  My heart knowing that it wasn't going to suffer as much in the suspense of each called witness.  I had two days to wait until my Odango took the platform.   I had two days left to imagine that this wasn't happening, two days to pretend that everything was all right.

"Sailor Venus, Minako Aino please take the platform."  If there was ever a time that I wished Minako could keep her mouth shut, it was now.  The usually bubbly blond strode down to the platform as she was asked.  Her form that usually radiated like sunshine itself was a little duller at the moment and I had the unfortunate displeasure of knowing it was because of me.  Without paying mind to the proceedings around her she shot me a wink and I swear it looked like she was fighting a battle in her mind not to flip Zankou the bird.

I looked to Yaten sitting not too far away from me.  I knew next to Haruka, Minako's testimony was the one that worried him the most.  His silver hair swayed around him as he shook his head.  He too knew what Minako was thinking, and this alone gave me subtle amusement.  There was no stopping her now.

"Aino-san, you were a friend and classmate to the defendant correct?"  Zankou started with the same monotonous question once again.

Minako smiled and nodded her head as though she was brought into a bout of reverie.  "Yes."  Her response was cheerful, surprisingly cheerful… Oh god, don't tell me she thinks she has a plan?!  "To tell the truth-"  Oh sweet lord what is she doing?  My fingers found their way back into the strands of my hair as I bowed my head in instant frustration.  "I once tried to date him, well actually all three of them."

Zankou smiled, obviously pleased with his new target, fresh meat.  "How did that turn out?  Did you date often?"

"Are you kidding me?  They wouldn't give me the time of day?  I know what you're thinking too, 'How could anyone turn down a beautiful goddess such as myself?'  I'm telling you, it's beyond me!"  Minako smiled, she must have been very proud of herself and whatever idea she had formulating in her head.

"My dear woman, I have no idea how they resisted your charms."  Zankou smiled at her as the crowd let a small amount of laughter rise in the room.  "You never went on a date with Seiya then, ne?"

"Nope."  Minako shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, she was definitely not pleased with the audience's reaction to her statement.

"Please forgive me for asking this, I do not mean to insult your beauty or charms, but do you believe that it was possible for Seiya to by gay, and therefore not interested in women?  Did he ever pursue any male counterparts?"  Zankou shot me a look.  The bastard knew I wasn't interested in the male sex, all I could think of was what my poor Odango could be thinking of me know.  NOT to my surprise I caught a rough snicker escape Kintra's lips but it ended quickly when I faced him with my glare.

"Seiya?  Gay?"  Minako giggled a bit.  "No he wasn't gay, I'm sure."

"How can you be so sure, you never saw him pursue anyone, correct?"  Zankou had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No, I said I never saw him going after any guys.  It was always only Usagi."  

The crowd broke out into loud whispers and gossip.  Through my own narrowed eyes I saw Minako wince as she realized her mistake.  Yaten continued to shake his head and Taiki continued to look on, his face unphased by the news.  My Odango had no idea of my feelings for her, I was sure of that, and to have her find out in such a way.  Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this scenario, nor would I have wanted to.  I wanted desperately to see her reaction to this, but stealing a glance at her now would confirm Minako's statement.

It scared me.  I knew she would be sitting there with wide eyes in astonishment, with her Mamo-chan beside her.  His reaction was not what I feared, before we had left Earth I made my longing for his girlfriend clear enough… well clear enough to everyone but her.

Zankou again turned to face the crowd that was whispering and pointing in both mine and Odango's direction.  With a smile perched upon his lips he put a hand to his hip, standing in a truly arrogant fashion.  "It's amazing how Seiya still found time to chase after girls during his relentless search for his Princess, ne?"

"She was an ally!"  Minako retorted but a bit too late.  My noose had been tightened and valuable ground had been lost with the audience.

"Do all allies have romantic interests on Earth?  Were Seiya's intentions purely 'professional' in your opinion?"  Zankou spoke above the continuing gossip of the crowd.  He was being too damn cocky for his own good.  I felt his eyes on me and I forced myself to straighten up.  I wouldn't let him see how much my mind was reflecting on this.

Minako's answer never came and it was apparent what she would have said.  "Thank you Aino-san."  Judge 13 excused her, he could tell by the look on her face that she was disappointed in herself and ready to break down.  She did not need to be on that platform right now.  Judge 13 knew the same way I did, that Zankou had already proven his point with this girl anyway.

"Without further ado, Sailor Mars, Rei Hino please take the platform."  Zankou's body swayed and preformed like that of a game show host's as he called for the senshi or Mars to come down.  This was really beginning to make my stomach turn.  My life was being portrayed as nothing more than a mere game of chance in front of a studio audience.  Did any of them stop to think of me?  

Before I knew what I was doing, temporarily lost in my moment of self-pity, I chanced another glance at my Odango.  She wasn't there…  I looked around her senshi and saw that they were all present.  Odango was missing and there was no one around to protect her?  My heart began to race and pound in my throat.  For Odango to be wandering around the palace with all of the citizens of Kinmoku-sei in it, not to mention the fact that she was now a key element in the trial of treason against the crown of Kinmoku-sei, these were not good circumstances.

Zankou was asking Rei the same questions that he had always started out with, but I found it very hard to pay attention to his questions, let alone her responses.  Where was she?  My eyes searched the audience to see if she was returning through them, but there were no signs of her golden odangos.  This wasn't happening!  I couldn't fight the feeling that was growing in my body any longer.  Pure adrenaline pumped through my veins, replacing my blood.  The fury swelled as each one of my gruesome thoughts as to the possibilities of her situation feed it.  Mounting and surpassing all of what I could normally bear, my fears and doubts peeked in my body and mind.  I sprung to my feet.  My eyes continued to dart around the room wandering from face to face, occasionally returning to Odango's seat to see if she had indeed returned safely.

In my furious search, so diligent in its purpose, I didn't even notice Yaten rush before me.  "Seiya!"  His voice cut through me and brought my gaze down level with his.  "Sit down… she's fine…"  He knew just what was going through my head, hell I suppose it would have been obvious to him, Taiki or the Sol Senshi.  My eyes moved from his to Odango's vacant seat and then back again asking my question without words.  "Kintra went after her."

An enormous feeling of relief swept through my body as Yaten coaxed me back down to my seat.  Slowly he returned to his seat, keeping constant vigilance on me and never once turning his back.  I looked up at Kakyuu to see if I had completely sealed my fate and she just smiled weakly down at me.  This was not good, I couldn't keep myself in check.

"After Princess Kakyuu was murdered by Chaos, the Starlights went to avenge her death, in a sense walking into their own suicide."  Rei's statement had gone on all throughout my nervous breakdown.  "The whole reason they kept fighting was for her honor.  Even after there was nothing to be loyal to, they were still loyal to her."

"Thank you Hino-san."  Judge 13 spoke calmly to her from above.

"But this isn't about THEM, this is about Seiya!"  Zankou cut in before Judge 13 could dismiss Rei.  My eyes burrowed into him.  He wasn't going to let me have ONE solid testimony?

"I don't see your point."  Rei answered, her eyes cool, sensing all.  If I didn't believe it impossibly far fetched, I would have said she was trying to read his mind.

"That's enough Zankou."  Judge 13 warned.

"Fighter's loyalty and guard didn't transfer over to a certain Moon Princess when hope of saving Princess Kakyuu was lost?"  Zankou shot back and caused a reaction to rise from not only me but Yaten as well.

Rei's lips formed into a confident smile as she held her hand out opened before her as though her point was simple.  "Hope of saving Kakyuu was NEVER lost, as long as we did all we could to protect Sailor Moon, we knew she could save us all."

A smile broke out on my face and I watched as Zankou turned away fuming in frustration.  "Thank you Hino-san, you may return to your seat."  Judge 13 cut in before Zankou could continue with any more of his misdirected questions, much to my relief.

Rei found her way back to her seat and as my eyes followed her I spotted Kintra and Odango coming up behind where the Sol Senshi were seated.  "The trial of Sailor Star Fighter, Seiya Kou will commence tomorrow at the quarter of the day."  Judge 13 stood before the audience and signaled the end of today's session.  Zankou was off in the sides downing a glass of water with a positively pissed expression on his face.

A force flew into my body that I wasn't prepared for.  It was Chaser at my side, her long pleather gloves wrapped around my arm forcefully and pulled me aside.  "Let go!"  I commanded her as I ripped my arm away. 

"Seiya."  She spoke looking me dead in the eye.  "I just wanted you to know that I have nothing to do with this and I'm sorry that it's my face that you're going to have to associate with this horrible trial."

I was taken aback by her words.  I had suspected she had come to escort me back to my room forcefully.  "Chaser…"  I was unsure of what to say to her.  Sure there was a certain level of animosity that still remained in my mind towards her for the previous events, but I knew those feelings were wrong and I tried to push them back with all the strength I had.  "… we will always be friends."

My reaction must have been more than what she had been hoping for, because a smile sprang to her face and her entire demeanor was elated.  "I'm supposed to bring you back to your room now."

"That's ok, I'll walk with Kintra, I have something to discuss with him anyway."  I gestured my head in Kintra's direction who I had noticed was coming this way.  Chaser seemed satisfied with this and threw her arms around me before taking her leave.

"I've never seen her so dramatic before."  Kintra commented when he approached me still watching Chaser's departing form.

"You know those Sailor Senshi, always the drama queens."

"And here I was thinking it was only Healer."  Kintra laughed as I turned to face him with a smirk of my own.  "Have fun today?"  He asked as he motioned with his hand towards the doors.

"Oh a blast!"  I replied sarcastically.  Right, right, all of this was certainly my cup of tea!

"Her stomach was uneasy."  He said directly and I had to admire how he cut to the chase.  

"I just kept imagining all of the worst case scenarios in her absence."

"When the hell did you become a pessimist?"

"It's not funny!"  I retorted, letting him know I didn't appreciate his attempt at humor.  "I swear my heart stopped."  A realization hit me and I suddenly found myself questioning my own motives.  Why was I revealing all of this to Kintra now?  This could do nothing but harm my situation.

"Gomen."  He said bluntly, I was well aware that he had only spoken what he had to test the boundaries of my current state, and was now aware of how to cross them.  "She asked me what I thought was going to happen.  She really is a sweet girl."  This was Kintra I was talking to, why did I feel that surge of jealousy just now?  "I told her that everything was going to be fine and not to worry about it."  A small smile played on his features as he tucked his hands behind his back.  "I really don't think her friends give her enough credit.  She saw through my ruse quite easily, though I didn't attempt to completely seal my doubts away.  She told me not to lie to her."

They truly didn't give her enough credit for the wonderful and caring person she was, but then again, I had fallen victim to the same actions and thought to myself that she could never suspect my feelings though I did nothing to conceal them.  "You are doubting me?  Did you tell her that?"

Kintra stopped in the middle of the hallway, we weren't near my room yet.  "Seiya, I will never doubt you."

"Not even now when I'm doubting myself?"  I felt my head drop again.  When did I become accustom to such a low self-image and statement?  I had expressed my worries to Kintra, but perhaps it was better off.  He probably would have accused me of keeping them from him anyway when he figured it out.

"Even now."  His voice was unwavering and seemed to carry to me some of his confidence.  "And that is what I told her."

By now my room was in sight and I was almost thankful to be surrounded by its walls again.  Now they didn't seem so much as to keep me in as they did to keep others out.  "Thank you Kintra."  I spoke with genuine sincerity.

His head nodded as he turned away.  Before he got too far however, he turned and caught me before I was all of the way through my door.  "She believes in you too Seiya.  Above all else take comfort in that."


	4. Neptune and Uranus

Treason

4

(Neptune and Uranus)

At least I wasn't in a jail cell, rotting away without cause or meaning somewhere.  I was simply confined to the quarters of my room.  What could they really do to control a Sailor Senshi gone bad?  My entire imprisonment depended on the loyalty of my fellow Sailor Senshi to the crown of Kinmoku-sei.  I didn't doubt their loyalty the way I was doubting my own, if it came down to it, I knew anyone of them would kill me to protect our Princess.  Comforting thought, ne?

The trial had taken up a good portion of the morning and extended on into the afternoon.  I shook my head with a smile.  I was still thinking in terms of Earth's measurement of time.  After five years their customs and beliefs were bound to be beaten through my thick skull at some point.  It was now time for dinner to be served.  I wasn't even allowed to eat with everyone else.

"I thought you'd like company."  Kintra's voice once again invaded my thoughts and caused me to look towards the door of my room.  He stood tall next to a palace servant carrying a bottle of wine.

The young girl bowed to me as she saw my attention focused on her.  "He wouldn't let me carry the trays."  She started and my eyes went to Kintra once again.  He had two red-crusted serving trays in his hands, I was assuming they were our meals, while he left her to carry only the bottle of wine.

"We can't be having a pretty girl such as yourself be burdened by the amount of food this bottomless pit consumes, now can we?"  He winked towards the girl sending her entire body into a blush.

"Oi oi…" I moaned as I tried to contain my laughter from witnessing him laying his charms on unusually thick for this poor girl.  "I seem to recall your stomach being bigger than mine."  I shot back at him, sure she was a servant girl, but I wasn't going to let him make me look bad in front of anyone.

Having had enough flattery for one day, the servant girl retreated from my room and left me with my company and food.  Kintra stifled a laugh as he carried the covered trays to the table near the window.  I watched him walk by and followed him.  I was very glad to have company; since I was already assuming these were some of the last hours I would be able to take advantage of in my life I didn't want to spend them alone.  

"What's so funny?"  I asked, he had obviously found something amusing concerning me, and if I didn't direct him I doubt he would have offered it up.

He smiled as he lifted the lid of his meal.  His dark green hair was pulled back in his usual ponytail, but somehow had become disheveled and was very unkempt.  "Nothing."  He answered back but it was masking another laugh.  "I just find it amusing that you can resort back to your old self in front of a blushing servant girl, but you're cowering before the entire empire of Kinmoku."

I could feel the heat coming to my face as I took my seat across from him.  "I am not."  His brow raised and his eyes shot me a look that couldn't be mistaken as anything but skeptical.  "I told you, I'm not so sure of my own innocence here."

"Seiya,"  Kintra sighed allowing his jade green eyes to close momentarily for effect.  "You've always lived your life like a candle in the wind.  Nothing could effect you, you were completely unwavering and that is the spirit you're missing now."

I looked at him and instantly hated him for his knowledge.  "Maybe I've grown up."  I mused knowing full well that this wasn't the correct answer.

"You'll never grow up."

"Oi!"

He stared at me with a smile on his face.  I had no incline of what he could have been thinking.  I watched as he shoveled food into his mouth, ah hell who was I to criticize, he was still neater than I usually was.  "So now growing up means becoming a withdrawn coward?"

My eye twitched at his comment and I found it hard to look at him and his smug stance.  Did he come here to help me dig my hole my mind had already sunk into?  What did he really know? I was sure he knew more than what he had let on, but what did he _really _know about what was going on in my mind?  "What happened to you?"

"Nani?"  I had apparently thrown him off guard.  He stopped consuming his dinner and looked up at me waiting for my explanation.

"Your hair."  I pointed out.  "You're a mess."

A blush came over his face and my mind quickly went to the servant girl that had accompanied him to my room.  A new round was starting and this time I had the upper hand.  "Well?"  I asked, not letting him get out of this one.

"You're not eating."

"You're avoiding my question."  

He set his utensils down and picked up the bottle of wine to pour out two glasses.  "I had a run in with one of our 'less graceful' guests this afternoon."  He drank down a good portion of his wine, but I didn't even bother to reach for my own.  "I was minding my own business-"

"That would be a first!"  My comment earned me a narrowed eye stare.

"Like I said, _minding my own business_, when I was unexpectedly knocked to the ground.  When I picked my head up to see just what in the world could have hit me, I came face to face with Tsukino-san."  He paused a moment, possibly to study my reaction, but I knew better than to let my mood show through, no matter how difficult it was.  "She apologized and I helped her up."

Kintra began eating his meal, every once and a while taking what he found appetizing from my plate as well.  I waited with baited breath for him to continue, to tell me what happened next but his words never came.  The anxiety was building up in me but I kept my calm façade.  After quite some time went by I couldn't take it anymore.  "So what else did you do with her?!"  I questioned probably a bit more eagerly than I should have, and unfortunately I had aided to Kintra's premeditated amusement.

"Nothing, I just talked with her."

"And?"

"And what?"

"And what did you talk about?"  Again I had spawned a spark of entertainment in his eyes and kicked myself inwardly for doing so.

"Eat."  He was almost demanding it of me.  I shoved my plate towards him and crossed my arms.  I was in no mood for eating.  What was the point now?  I could be dead tomorrow!

A long sigh came from him as he slouched back in his chair.  Even from his reclined position, his long arms could reach the wine glass still resting on the table.  "We talked about you."  I relaxed a little seeing as how I had gained some ground in this battle and listened on.  "Usagi asked me how I knew you and I explained to her that I was a Starlight too.  She confided in me that she wanted to see you and that being here and not being able to talk to you was killing her."

"Did she tell you how pathetic she thought I looked sitting up there on trial?"  I asked self dejectedly.

"You, more than most, have always had the grace to hold yourself in situations like these, don't loose that now."  The stern look that he was sending me now silenced my tongue and opened my ears back up.  Kintra was the same age as me, but yet he always acted as though he was my guardian.  "I asked her what her Prince would think of her longing for the attention of a senshi."

"It's not like that!"  I spat back, furious that he had even suspected Odango to harbor any such feelings.

"I know.  I could tell by her reaction.  She just looked at me as though I had asked her this in another language.  I can see why you were attracted to her, her mind is so pure."

"Shut up-"

Despite my pleas for him to end this conversation he went on.  "I clarified my question.  I asked her if she loved you."

My heart stopped beating and the breath I was taking got lodged in my throat.  Although I already knew the answer to his question it still scared me, perhaps there was a bit of hope still left within me that I had missed something, that maybe she did return my affections.

"She just answered even more confused than before that she loved her Mamo-chan and asked me why I had asked her such a question.  I just laughed and passed it off, that's when I ran into the servant girl on her way to your room."  His eyes passed over my face and I could feel them sensing my feelings.  I was pissed, and could I have directed it any more with my body language it would probably have been impossible.   "Don't be mad with me Seiya."

"I'm not mad."  I lied.

"Yes you are."  He shot me the same demeaning glance he always did when we were drifting apart.  "I don't know what happened on Earth, you didn't tell me anything about that _remember_?  All I have to go on is what I've gathered from Taiki and Yaten, not to mention that god-forsaken trial."

"If you've spoken with Taiki and Yaten about it, I'm sure they wouldn't leave Odango out of the picture."

"Odango?"  He questioned me and this made me rethink my position.  "Who's Odango?"

If he didn't know who Odango was… "Odango is Usagi, that's what I called her."

"Taiki and Yaten didn't mention a word about any Odango or Usagi in connection with you.  My only clue to that was from the trial and her desperate longing to see you, though now I know it was due to friendship."

He had truly not known of the situation.  Did Yaten and Taiki leave Odango out so that my position would stay innocent in Kintra's eyes?  If so, doesn't that mean that they too doubted my innocence?  "You want the whole story?"  I asked knowing full well his answer.  "I'm sure what Taiki and Yaten told you about the first four years of our existence on Earth will suffice you, the part in question, the whole reason for this trial started a little less than a year ago at an airport in Tokyo, Japan…"

~@~@~@~

It was like a rotten vision of de ja vu.  Here I was being escorted down to my place, to sit and listen to more of the history that was going to end my life.  Kintra was right, I was letting this drag me through the mud, it was going to stop now.  I straightened up and looked at Kintra to make sure he saw my effort.  To my dismay he wasn't in his seat, my eyes only met with the unsure smiles of Taiki and Yaten.  I knew that he wouldn't miss this trial and began to look around for him.

"Fighter, hang in there."  Kakyuu whispered down to me, she must have mistaken my puzzlement for worried desperation.  

I nodded back in a demonstration of my strength.  "Where's Kintra?"

"Seeker?"  Kakyuu asked referring to him by his senshi name.  Her eyes picked up and she pointed in the general direction of the Sol Senshi.  I followed her direction and saw Kintra speaking with Odango a few steps away from her senshi.  What was he doing?  Jealousy once again entered my body, as much as I tried to fight the feeling it was still ever present.  Even though I know Kintra would never do anything of the sort, it still made my blood boil.

"Be seated!"  Developer shouted signaling the start of the trial.  I watched as Kintra made his way back over to his seat beside Yaten (who was cursing Zankou under his breath already, not to mention sending him death warrants with his eyes).  When he sat down he must have noticed my gaze upon him, for he looked up and greeted me with a smug smile and a wink.  The nerve.

"Zankou you have the platform."  Judge 13 announced waving death himself to the floor.

"Thank you your Grace."  He nodded his head and turned towards the audience.  "Sailor Neptune, Michiru Kaioh please take the platform."

Haruka stood as Michiru rose to descend to the platform below.  A true gentleman trapped in a woman's body.  I wanted to snicker but felt a blush sweep my features as I thought of my own situation.  As though she was floating on air, Michiru gracefully took her place before Zankou.  He seemed to be impressed by her poise.

"What was your relation to the defendant?"  

"I once joined him and his band mates in a joint concert and I too fought against Chaos with them."  Self-confidence radiated from her as she spoke clearly with a straight face giving no signs of her true intentions.  My heart was already beating faster, it was too early in the morning for this.

"So you were allies?"

"No."

"But you just said that you fought Chaos with them, did you not?"  Zankou was already delighted with this morning's proceedings.  The crowd had already broken out into their hushed gossip but none of these things effected Michiru.

"They were aliens from outside of our solar system, as well as the enemies we were facing.  It is my duty as a member of the Outer Solar System to protect the inner planets and my Princess from outside invaders.  I never accepted them until they took my place in saving my world."

Leave it to Michiru to shine the truth, nothing like throwing in a little reference to our heroics.  I had to smile, it didn't seem as though she was out to get me, but she always seemed less pigheaded than Haruka.

"Why did you call them invaders?  If they were on your planet fighting for the same cause, why didn't you accept them as allies?"  Zankou had no way to manipulate Michiru's statements so far and was digging deeper to find the real dirt.

"Their purpose was never stated to us, their side was never clear.  We didn't know what their purpose was on Earth and they avoided contact with us whenever possible."

"I see, and why do you think that was?  Wouldn't it have been to their advantage to recruit the help of the resident Sailor Senshi of that planet to help them search for their beloved Princess?"

This trial was beginning to accuse all three of us and I wasn't liking it.  I didn't even have to look at Taiki and Yaten to know that they were having the same feelings as me.

"From what you've seen of my attitude so far, would you have thought me a pleasant adversary to seek help from?"

Before I could control myself my body let forth a chuckle and those of the audience and Zankou himself soon joined it.  "I'll be the one asking the questions here."  Though he seemed light-hearted about the situation on the outside, I had my doubts.

"If you're going to ask questions here, I suggest you stick to ones that have a bit more merit to the trial and accusations at hand."  Michiru stated and rose from her seat dignantly clearly displaying that she wanted nothing more to do with Zankou.

That hurt.  I smiled and looked at Zankou.  He was furious and when Judge 13 gave Michiru the ok to go back to her seat he wasted no time in making his way straight towards him and Kakyuu.  While the trial was temporarily delayed, much to my pleasure, Yaten took this chance to run up to where I was sitting.

"Did you ever think she would do that?"  He smiled, his green eyes shining brightly as he looked over towards Michiru's retreating form.  "That was great!"

"I thought for sure I was done for!"

"That one took Zankou down a notch or so."  Yaten and I were cheering for Zankou's misfortune until Taiki came to be the damper on our little party.

Taiki shook his head, his brows knitting in frustration.  "She riled him up just before Haruka could take the stand."  His hand came up to massage his temples to relieve his circling mind.  "It's like beating a bee's nest before trying to get the honey!"

Yaten and I looked at him silently.  Maybe Michiru wasn't on our side.

"Stop consorting with him!"  Zankou scolded as he realized what was going on.  Yaten answered his commandment with a 'humph' and a haughty attitude before nonchalantly taking his seat beside Kintra who was grinning broadly.

"Zankou, call the next person."  Judge 13 cut in before more of a confrontation was allowed to take place.  He was not looking forward to Yaten having to take the stand today and I could only imagine what madness would in sue from it.

Zankou growled clenching his fists beside him in anger.  "Sailor Uranus, Haruka Ten'ou please take the platform."

The moments that Haruka walked from her seat to the platform took place so slowly I would have sworn it was suspended animation.  Each footstep she took made the echoing in my chest louder.  It felt like watching a horrible accident, so gruesome that you knew the outcome couldn't be good, but at the same time you couldn't tear your eyes away from it.  When she took her place, she sat as though this was an everyday event for her and she was just sitting down to watch television.  From where I was sitting, her blond hair disguised her eyes, giving me no insight to her current frame of mind.

"Please explain your relationship with the defendant."  Zankou was distracted, the previous incident with Michiru had knocked him off his high horse.

"There's nothing to explain, there was no relationship."  Haruka stated bluntly.  

"You had no contact with Seiya while he was on Earth?"  The question was rightfully provoked, what would she be doing on the platform now if she had nothing to do with the trial at hand?

"None that I could help."  I heard Yaten's snicker and caught the wink Michiru sent down to her lover.  There was a tugging at the corner of the blonde's lips and some of my fears were mysteriously laid to rest.

"Ten'ou-san, could you please elaborate on your answers for us?  What was your attitude towards Seiya?"  Zankou was again becoming frustrated with the questioning and looked as though he was suffering from a migraine.  

"Hostile."  Haruka smiled.  "Oh wait, you wanted me to elaborate, ne?  Let's see.  I wanted to rip every vital organ from his body and in not so many words just make his day really bad."

I was shocked and so was everyone else in the room.  My eyes were wide and nothing I could do would bring them back down to normal size.  She did it, she openly pronounced her hate for me and at the worst time.  Haruka-tomboy was my executioner, maybe they would let her perform the actual task when it came time seeing as how she just expressed her dislike of me so clearly.

Kakyuu's face was appalled and low obscenities were escaping Yaten's mouth while Taiki just stared unbelievingly.  To tell the truth, I had no idea where Yaten had acquired such a large string of foul language, and I wasn't even sure if they all WERE the same language, but it was clear that none of them were good.

Sadistic pleasure shone on Zankou's face at her words, but before he could produce another question she continued cutting him off.  "BUT… Now I owe everything to him."  The crowd was silent, this wasn't exactly what you would have expected to hear after such a display.  "He protected my world, my princess and my future in my place when I no longer could.  I know he held the same belief and admiration for our princess that I did, and therefore I came to trust him completely."

The old disgusting form of Zankou hesitated.  "Isn't that the point?"  I was confused and it was an emotional battle between the audience and the witnesses.  The same people who only a moment ago were enraged by Haruka's statement, now admired her.  These same people were now questioning Zankou's motives as they saw me in nothing but clear shining light.  It felt good.  "You just stated that you didn't question Seiya's devotion to your princess when you died?  Where was his devotion to his own princess?  Can a senshi be devoted to more than one princess?"

"You don't want to see that he's innocent do you?"  Haruka crossed her arms and smirked at him.  "It's just killing you that you really can't manipulate all that is being said.  If he hadn't supported my princess and devoted his efforts to her AFTER Princess Kakyuu had died then we never would have seen her again.  You're blatantly misconstruing every situation here."

"That's enough."  Zankou roared… and he still had to face Yaten.


	5. Maker and Healer

Treason

5

(Maker and Healer)

The crowd was in an uproar over Haruka's testimony.  Questions began to arise as to what Zankou was truly hoping to accomplish here.  Deeper queries ignited the suspicions that he had it in for me and was using this trial as a means to dispose of me with sufficient reason.  I didn't care.  As long as I lived, I never thought I would have had Haruka on my side defending me.

"You're not going to ask me any more question?"  Haruka asked still on the platform.  "Maybe I should describe Fighter's reaction when I insulted her ability to protect her princess?  The agonizing turmoil that flashed in her features and caused the rage and fury inside her to burn so hot that she came at me with every ounce of her being, would that help you to degrade Seiya some more?  No, it probably wouldn't would it.  How about-"

"Thank you Ten'ou-san."  Judge 13 interrupted her, sensing that Zankou had nearly, if not already reached his breaking point.  

Haruka didn't bother to turn and acknowledge Judge 13, but kept her eyes focused on Zankou.  She was pleased with herself and I thought I had lived to see the apocalypse and survived.  From now on, no matter what speculations Zankou threw at the people of Kinmoku-sei concerning my innocence, they would always think to question them and his motives.

"Zankou would you like to take a break before calling the next witness?"  Judge 13 asked politely.  He had to keep his tone even and I could tell he was fighting to hold back the delight that tried to work its way to his face.

"No, I've had quite enough of this stalling and delay.  I would like to proceed without break."  Kakyuu told Judge 13 before Zankou had a chance to respond.  Zankou's mind was not where it should be right now and that could prove to be my benefit.  I silently thanked Kakyuu for pushing the trial on, though I wouldn't have minded a break myself.

By now Haruka had made her way back to her seat and was facing the smiles and kind words of the inner senshi while she remained silent.  Like always, my eyes flew to my Odango like a magnet and I caught her smiling over in my direction.  My heart melted.  A goofy grin smeared itself across my face but I doubt I would have even noticed it hadn't have been for Kintra coming up and snapping me back to reality.  "Here you were, thinking you were going to be skinned alive and now you're sitting with that stupid love-struck look on your face.  Oh the irony of it all."

I couldn't reach him from my seat or else I would have given his neck a good ringing.  "I've just been saved by some small miracle and you're still at it?"

"Would you have it any other way?"  He joked with me and my mood lightened.  

"No, I suppose not."  I grinned lopsidedly back at him to show I wasn't totally impervious to humor right now.  Looking over Kintra's shoulder I saw Yaten in his seat trying to contain his excitement.  I'm sure he was hoping to be next so that he could further Zankou's torment, but I also knew the old fart wasn't that stupid.

My taller companions shoulder swiftly came to block my view of Taiki and Yaten bringing my attention back to him.  Zankou was stalking up to him, every movement he made was a telltale sign of his aggravation.  "I suppose you thought that was very funny, ne?"  He came right up before Kintra and me.  I could feel his breath heavily upon my face.  "Do you think it's right for the inhabitants of this planet to see me made a mockery of?"

"They've seen it every day before this, why should a statement made by an irate alien change any of that now?"  Kintra asked shooting back at Zankou, and thankfully taking his adverse eyes off of me.

"Take your seat!"  Zankou growled at Kintra.  To any _normal_ person his tone off voice and posture would have intimidated them severely, but to Kintra, he just brushed it off and somehow found simple pleasure in the fact that he could provoke him to that point.  Zankou's eyes turned sharply back to me and I in turn stared him down.  I had confidence when I knew Kintra was backing me and now was no exception.

Something stopped him however.  He didn't say the harsh words that I knew were there waiting to spill forth from his accursed lips.  His facial features softened as he straightened his body out a little more.  With him no longer leaning ominously towards me, this new space between us gave me a little more breathing room.  "Congratulations, it seems that you are doing quite well today."  He prematurely congratulated me.  His eyes flicked above me momentarily before he turned to resume his position on the platform.

I looked up to see just what had caught his attention and found the ruby eyes of my princess smiling back at me.  My entire soul began to fill with joy and confidence.  It didn't matter any more.  My disbelief in myself was far from my mind as I took comfort in the fact that I had so many people, even ones I thought to be my adversaries, here to support me and believing in me.

"Sailor Star Maker, Taiki Kou please take the platform."  Zankou's breaking voice crackled through the air signifying Taiki's turn.

The mood that hovered over the crowd in this room had lightened up considerably and it showed as Kintra smacked Taiki on the ass as he passed by on his way to the platform.  Taiki gave start and swiftly turned around to face Kintra with an overwhelming blush.  Kintra just waved politely and smiled a closed eye smile.  This confrontation between stuffy-Taiki and all-too-easy-going-Kintra was a commonplace thing, which on more than one occasion drove Taiki to plead to Kakyuu to disown Kintra.

Today wasn't shaping up so badly after all.  Taiki sat down, the most intellectual of the six of us, I wasn't worried about what he had to say on my behalf.  "Kou-san, do you believe Seiya is innocent?"  Zankou's questioning started off differently, most likely because he didn't have to establish connections between the witness and myself.

"Yes, I truthfully believe that Seiya is innocent."  Taiki stated bluntly.  Nice way to flower it up there genius, 'truthfully', like they thought you were lying in the first place.  I grinned inwardly and listened on.  The room was absolutely silent as everyone waited for the next spectacle to begin.

"Was there ever a time when you questioned Seiya's loyalty to your mission while on Earth?"  Zankou shot him a smile and I watched as Taiki's eyes narrowed on him while contemplating his next move.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't."  Taiki said and it felt as though he had just punched me in the stomach.  My hope and confidence deflated instantly as one of my best friends ripped down my case before me.

"Why did you doubt his actions?"  The question came quickly and it seemed as though the confidence I had lost, Zankou had gained.  The power struggle was on once more and I was loosing yet again.

Taiki took in a deep breath.  "On Earth it seemed as though he was becoming distracted.  Even though he appeared distracted, his search for Princess Kakyuu remained in tact."

"What was he becoming distracted by?"  Zankou questioned, already knowing the answer to this question.

"The Princess of that Solar System.  She portrayed everything that we had lost, and I don't blame him now for being drawn towards her, her shine is very similar to Kakyuu-hime's."  I had to continuously remind myself that he was my friend and not my enemy.  What was he doing?  The only conclusion I could come to, besides the fact he wanted to see me take early retirement from life, was that he was trying to show that he wasn't hiding anything and still prove my innocence.  I shook my head from my doubts.  I had faith in Taiki, although at the moment it seemed as though it was going to be blind faith.

"Seiya was drawn to Princess Serenity because of her power, was that all?"

"I believe that there were feelings there that surpassed those of gaining her as an ally.  A sixteen year old by can hardly be held accountable for the workings of his heart.  If Seiya's mind had anything to do with the whole situation, he wouldn't have fallen in love with her, but who can really control their heart?"

A blush flashed on my face at his words.  Why did this seem like one of those dreams you had where you went to a crowded public place wearing nothing but what god gave you?  I felt so exposed and vulnerable right then and I didn't like it, I wasn't used to this feeling of being absolutely out of control of the situation.

Zankou nodded his head, having heard enough of what he wanted to.  "Did you suspect Princess Serenity to be manipulating Seiya's heart so that you would fail in your mission?"

"Nani?!"  A voice yelled down from the crowd above.  It was Haruka, she was standing with her arms flexed and hands clenched.  She was just as outraged at this question as I was.  What right did he have to question the virtue of a foreign princess in this trial, more importantly questioning my Odango's?

Taiki continued with his statement, perhaps trying to come between Haruka disrupting the trial further.  Anger was already swelling in my veins and pumping pure hatred to my mind, but nothing compared to the feeling I had when I heard what Taiki said next.  "Yes, I _did_ believe she was manipulating him."  

I was to my feet in a matter of seconds, friend, ally or not, I was going to take him down.  How dare he presume to say such things!  "I was wrong though."  His eyes fell on me, they were disappointed in the fact that I had been ready to take up arms against him, that I hadn't believed in him enough to trust him.  "Princess Serenity by no means manipulated Seiya's judgment purposely, she remained true to her destiny and her prince, and never strayed from that purity."

I sunk back down to my seat realizing what I had just done.  My body reacted before my mind could think the situation through, now I had just given Zankou and the audience more reason to believe in my bond with Odango.  I watched as Michiru and Setsuna also coaxed Haruka back down to her place.  Odango… she was staring passively at Taiki while Mamoru connected with my gaze instead.  I tore my eyes away, feeling the threat that Mamoru's held.

"Seiya went to Earth, fell in love while looking for Princess Kakyuu, and nearly compromised the mission?  That seems to me that his loyalty shifted.  What are your thoughts on it Taiki?"  Zankou thought he had the case finished, I could see it in his stance.  I thought he had the case finished, it was over.

"Seiya never compromised our mission, and his loyalty never shifted.  The single fact that he came home, back here to Kinmoku-sei with us and Kakyuu is proof enough of his innocence and his unwavering loyalty to our crowned princess."  Taiki sat straight with hand placed thoughtfully to his chin in dignity.  He was right.  So what if he had left out the part about my not wanting to come back, I still did!

"Thank you Kou-san."  Judge 13 nodded in his direction.  The look on his face a little more solemn than it had been before.  I know Taiki's statement disturbed him a bit and I had a hard time facing him from that moment on.

"Fighter?"  Kakyuu looked down at me.  My eyes flew desperately up to meet her's.  There was understanding in them and a comfort that I needed.  I felt as though my entire body was going to break down on the spot.  "It's going to be alright." 

I nodded numbly at her statement though I had a hard time trying to swallow it.  How could everything be alright now?  My guilt was placed before the crowd and my heart displayed plainly for Odango to see.  There was nothing left in my mind to give me support.

Taiki walked away from the platform and I refused to allow his eyes to meet with my own.  I didn't want to face him right now… even if it wasn't his fault.  I knew it wasn't his fault, I just wanted someone to place my anger on and he was my determined target.

"Sailor Star Healer, Yaten Kou please take the platform."  Zankou called a little reluctantly.  I knew he was trying to move it along before we all had a chance to regroup our thoughts and fully digest all that had just happened.  He had something in mind, I could tell.

I watched Yaten go and the livid look he shot in Taiki's direction.  It looked as though he too was taking his disappointment out on Taiki, but we both knew Taiki understood and could handle being in this kind of situation.

"How are you today Kou-san?"  Zankou asked politely.  I couldn't believe he was even trying to pull this one off.  If he had made himself appear nice and proper to Yaten, any snide remark my silver-haired friend made would only work against himself.

"Just peachy, and you?"  Yaten asked as though his voice had been laced with sugar.  My head picked up slightly and became more interested, if at all possible, in the going ons.

"Fine, thanks for asking."  Zankou smiled and walked to the far side of the room, it looked as though he was fetching something.  When he returned he held in his hand a personal stereo.  "I listened to the songs you three sang while you were on Earth searching for Princess Kakyuu and I found them quite interesting."

"I'll take that as a compliment coming from you."  Once again Yaten's overly sweet attitude played out in his voice.

"Nagareboshi He, was clear enough in its message, but what about another one of your top 10 hits?  Todokanu Omoi?  What was the message you were trying to convey through that song?"  My body stiffened a bit at this, but I had faith that Yaten could handle it.  "Allow me to play the song for the people of Kinmoku-sei that are unfamiliar with its content."

I sat and listened as the familiar music filled the air and our voices soon joined it.  It was a nice break to regain my composure, but it ended too soon and the silence filled the air once again.

"Our success in finding Princess Kakyuu through these means depended on our popularity in the public's eye on Earth.  We had to produce songs that we knew the people would like and buy.  That song is merely a product for marketing purposes.  We couldn't send our message if no one was listening, ne?"  Yaten had kept his composure and was now looking at Zankou trying to figure out his next move.  I was impressed to say the least and wanted to launch from my seat and wrap him in a hug.  I had written that song when I was trying to sort through my feelings for Odango, but Yaten had covered it up brilliantly.

"Well put."  Zankou was not about to test the fine line of Yaten's anger just yet, he was not as incompetent as I could have hoped for.  "You each had a single too, am I correct.  This is Seiya's single that he sang on Earth.  Please pay close attention to the lyrics."  He pressed play on the personal stereo once again and 'Ginga Ichi Mibun na Kataomoi' played through the air.

What a way to seal my fate, by my own voice selling me out.  The confession of my inner turmoil and doubt played out through a song and some well-chosen music.  The same pain I felt when I was writing this song came back to me now as I sat listening to it.  My entire being felt surreal and the people around me didn't matter any longer.  When I realized that I was in love for the first time, and for the first time I realized that there were things out there that no matter how much you strived for, they could never be obtained.  My personal defeat conquered my hope but that didn't stop me from professing my feelings to her.  As Seiya and as Fighter I had sealed my own fate.

"There's the proof you wanted right there."  Yaten stated as the song ended.  "I quote 'My longing is for only one person, my precious princess.'"

"How do we know which princess he was referring to with those words."  

"You know he was referring to our princess because I'M telling you he was!"  Yaten shot back, his pissy attitude wearing through his calm visad. 

I was referring to Kakyuu when I wrote that part, but I could easily see how he could turn it around on me.  This trial was going down hill fast, and with Yaten stirred up now, it was going to come to a quick end.  "Yaten…"  Kakyuu whispered from her seat, but only I could hear.

"You would say anything in his defense."

"Are you accusing me of misplacing MY loyalties now?"  Yaten stood and faced Zankou as though they were having a heated debate by themselves.  No one had ever dared to question Yaten when it came to matters of our princess, he was the devil in disguise and cared for no one but our princess.

"No."  Zankou said and bowed to Yaten, in a sense dismissing him.

"I'm not through with you yet buddy!"  Yaten stood and faced Zankou's retreating form.

"Yaten."  Judge 13 spoke curtly to him trying to nip this problem in the bud.  Zankou hadn't stopped to acknowledge Yaten's statement and this only sent him on more of a warpath.

"You prance around here like your shit don't stink.  Where the hell were you when we were protecting our Princess with our lives?  Where were you when she needed us the most?  I protected my princess along with Seiya.  If we hadn't done that you wouldn't be here, you couldn't be making these accusations!  I can't believe this is the way you repay him for his efforts, for almost sacrificing his life so that you could continue your days being an asshole."  His form was heaving as he sought for more breath to spit more hateful statements at Zankou, everyone listened while Zankou seemed to turn a deaf ear to the hysterical Light.

"YATEN!"  Judge 13 shouted, preventing him from saying any more.  "Get off the platform!"  He ordered Yaten.  His gentle nature was all but gone as he bellowed his orders at my defender.  A shiver ran down my spine as his words traveled through me.  Even Yaten, the guy who backed down to no one, began to slink off the platform and back to his seat.  "This trial is done for the day, I bid you all good day."  Judge 13 stated abruptly before taking his leave after Princess Kakyuu.

"Don't let him talk to the others."  Judge 13 ordered Developer and Chaser as they came to escort me to my room.  They both nodded in return and nodded their heads in the direction I was to leave in.

"Seiya!"  Yaten called as he came storming up to me.

"You're not permitted to speak with one another."  Developer stated coming between Yaten and I.

"Like hell I'm not!"  Yaten said trying to push her to the side.  Developer didn't budge and Yaten became even more hotheaded.  "Whose side are you on?!"  He accused Developer as she stood firm. 

"Yaten, come one."  Kintra came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.  In an instance, Yaten shrugged it off and turned to leave.  "Developer, Chaser."  Kintra nodded before turning and following the enraged man.

~@~@~@~

I could see that it was raining out from my window.  The moisture came down in buckets, trying in vain to wash away the blanket of snow that still covered the ground.  It was getting warmer out, but it was still cold.  Today's proceedings ran through my mind and the entire situation seemed utterly hopeless.  There were only two more people that the crowd had to hear from.  They were both taking the platform tomorrow.  Odango and myself.

The tears came to my eyes and stung their already bloodshot surfaces.  This pain in my chest wouldn't go away.  When had my life gone so wrong?  This wondrous feeling of love that I felt flowing through my body every time I thought of or saw my Odango, how could it have been the cause of my misery now?  Wasn't it punishment enough that I knew I could never be with her?  Did it have to destroy every other aspect of my life as well?  All of these questions and no answers.

My own life was on the line here and all I could think of was how my Odango perceived me now.  Did she hate me for all of this?  How I wished I could just speak with her for a moment, to tell her all the things I needed to say about what was going on here.  Or even to say just how much I missed her and needed her in my life.

"I was informed by Princess Kakyuu to make sure you at least attempted to finish this meal."  A new sound had joined the patter of the rain against my window.  A servant girl stood in my doorway carrying a food tray in her hands.  I stood to go and relieve her of her load.

Her face was so determined that I found it almost amusing.  "What are you going to do if I refuse?"  I asked in a playful manner, this was a different girl than the one that had been bringing my meals to me before.

She winked at me.  First off this threw me off guard, servants didn't wink at us.  "Pray you don't have to find out."  She warned and followed me over to my table.  There was something peculiar about her.

I lifted the cover on the plate to glance at what Kakyuu found to be SO important for me to consume that she was threatening me with help.  "Beans?"  I questioned with disgust.  "She knows I don't like beans."  I moaned and complained, trying to find reason to get out of eating.

"She also knows they're good for you!"  The servant retorted looking at me with an odd stare.

"Well I'm not eating them."  There was no way in hell she was going to force feed me beans.

"Fine! I will!"  She said and took my fork from me and started shoveling the red beans into her mouth with delight.  I watched curiously.  "Mmmm… these are great!  You don't know what you're missing!  Here, eat this!"  She said as she roughly shoved a biscuit into my mouth before I could complain.  She was certainly on drugs of some sort.  "You have to keep your strength for the trial you know!"  She cheered and smiled at me with a mess on her face.

I sat staring at her trying to place her strange mood while I chewed on my biscuit.  "Can I ask you something?"  I questioned her and she immediately froze.  "What do you think of it so far?  Do you think I'm innocent?"  I asked.  This girl wasn't involved in the proceedings at all and had a completely open mind to the whole dilemma.

"Of course!  I know you're innocent."  She answered me with a smile and seemed so sure of herself.  "Oh I forgot the drink!"  She reached over the table and grabbed for the bottle of wine to pour herself a glass, completely forgetting about me.  "Like Taiki said, you came back home with Princess Kakyuu, there should be no question."

"Thanks."  I muttered watching her consume my food, not that I really cared but it was still odd.  "I just wish I was allowed to talk to them."  

She stopped eating and looked at me.  "Who?"

"The Sol Senshi, well actually pretty much just Princess Serenity."  It didn't feel so bad admitting this to a perfect stranger, in fact it seemed easier if that was possible, to let myself go.  Maybe if this person knew all about my doubts in myself they could give me an honest assessment of the situation.  "I just can't even begin to fathom the image of me she has in her head right now."

"I'm sure you're over reacting."  The girl shoved some more miscellaneous food in my face like it was no big deal.  

"You don't understand!"  I choked out through the food in my mouth, man there was a lot in there.  "I love her so much and I DIDN'T want to come home."  

She shoved even more food into my mouth and I got the impression she was trying to silence me.  "You have to eat up."  She smiled a bit wearily.

"She had no idea until this stupid trial.  I would have been happier if she could have lived her life blissfully unaware of my feelings towards her.  Now she knows all about the agony I went through from day to day seeing her and knowing that I could never be with her."  I blocked the last bit of something she was trying to force feed me and watched her as she looked down.  "Do you still think I'm innocent?"

"I'm sorry."  She said slightly before standing up and heading towards the door.

I got up and followed her, I hadn't meant to offend her and I felt bad for doing so.  "You don't have to apologize."  I said catching her by the arm.  The moment my fingertips touched her skin I felt the electricity in my body.  I retracted my hand from her and stared in simple amazement.

I watched as she reached the door and opened it without saying a word.  Like a deer in headlights, I couldn't move or react to the situation at all.  She was slipping away and I had so much more I needed to find out.  "Wait!"  I called as she set foot out in the hallway.  Moving as fast as I could, I snatched her back from the hallway, in the process I caught a quick glimpse of Kintra just standing and watching my door.  What was he doing there?  I had no time to think about it before I had pulled her back in the room and close the door.

She looked up into my eyes with tears in her own.  "Odango?"  She looked down and pulled a pen from her pocket.  As though she was detransforming from her senshi form, her henshin melted away and left the beautiful sight of my Odango standing before me.  "Why didn't you tell me?"

Besides the fact that I immediately felt the stupidity and the humility wash over me from my previous conversation with her, I was hurt.  She had come in here to see me in disguise and wasn't even planning to tell me she had done so?

"I asked Kintra if there was any way I could see you and this was all we could come up with."  She sobbed out before she threw her arms around my neck and I drew her into me.  "I didn't want you to know it was me, I know now how much pain I've caused you and I didn't want to create any more for you.  Besides, you couldn't be accused of consorting with the 'enemy' if you never knew it was me, ne?"

She backed away from the embrace and wiped her tears away.  "I'm glad you came to see me."  I stated quickly, I had caused these tears in her eyes and it hurt me more than anything that had gone on during this trial.  I was responsible for causing her pain.  I took a step closer and wiped away her tear.  "I'm sorry that you have to go through all of this and I'm sorry that you had to find out my feelings for you in this way."

"I don't want to get up there tomorrow."  She whined as her stare bored deeply into my eyes.  "No matter what I say he's going to turn it around on me, and I'm not smart enough to avoid that."

"Odango, I know how he works, I know you would never say anything to intentionally go against me.  We're friends, ne?"  As much as it pained me to say so it was what she needed to hear.  "Don't doubt yourself, I have faith in you."

A knock sounded at the door to my room and startled the both of us.  With a single phrase and mixture of colored lights the plain servant girl stood before me once more drying her eyes.  As Odango finished her transformation Kintra's head popped in.  "Usagi, they're going to become suspicious soon."  He warned as he watched Odango nod her head.

Before I knew what was happening her arms were around me and her head was buried in my chest.  "Seiya…"

"Shhh… It's alright Odango."  I whispered to her holding her tightly for fear it would be the last time that I could.  Breaking away she looked up at me with a sad smile and turned to follow Kintra from my room.

"Thank you Kintra."  She and I said in unison and caused a smile to come to his face.


	6. Odango

Treason

6

(Odango)

I rolled over in my bed pulling the pillow up over my face in the process.  The sweet dreams of my Odango had been interrupted by that sorry excuse for an alarm clock.  There was a slight chill in my room and all I wanted to do was stay underneath the warm soft covers of my bed until the world warmed again.  It was never going to happen.  

Today was the last day of testimonies for my trial.  Odango was going to have to take the platform today and I almost wished that I didn't have to be present for that.  I could foresee myself getting riled at any little accusation Zankou made towards her and going full bore into battle mode on him.  Then again, I didn't want to miss it if he did either, all the more reason for me to beat him later… if there was going to be a later.

My pillow was abruptly ripped from my face and I had to squint my eyes to filter in the direct sunlight that was shining on my face.  "When your face comes into focus you're going to be sorry you did that."  I threatened in a growl, still having no idea of who could be in my room and harassing me already.

"With a face like that I probably should have left the pillow on your head!"  I knew that voice, it was too snide and cool to mistake for anyone else's.

"Yaten…"  I muttered and pulled my blanket up over my head, this was not what I wanted to be doing right now.

"Oh no you don't!"  There was a rough tugging on the top of my blanket trying to pull them back down.  "You're not going back to sleep with images of my beautiful face dancing in your head!"

That was it, that just ruined it.  Sitting up quickly, I stared him directly in the eye.  "You had to say something like that, didn't you?"  He sat, a satisfied grin perched on his lips.  When my mind began to work and process things a little more clearly I began to study him in wonderment of why he was here.

His playful nature melted away as he looked into my eyes with a stern and judging look.  "I know about your visitor last night."  His tone was any thing but friendly and almost bordering on reprimanding.  Before I could even open my mouth to speak he silenced me once again with his words.  "I'm not supposed to be here right now either, so I have to make this quick.  You're walking a very thin line right now, don't go and make the situation worse by giving him the evidence that he needs to convict you."

"I didn't ask her to come here."  My day was not starting off very well and I was determined to let Yaten know just as irritated I was already.

"No, but I'm sure you didn't do anything to ward her away while she was here either."  He spoke frankly keeping his voice hushed so that it wouldn't carry out into the hallway.  "You're just a big dumb moron that doesn't know how to take care of himself, you know that?"

Why was he trying to get me pissed already?  I had to take the platform in a little while!  And he was trying to convince me I had to look out for my own good, what the hell did he think he was doing!?  Without thinking, only knowing that I had to retaliate in one way or another, I kicked my foot hard and shoved my annoying guest off the foot of my bed and onto the floor.

"Ow! What was that for?!"  Yaten called from the floor.  He stood and rubbing his now sore bottom glared at me as he walked to the other side of the room.  "You'd better get ready."

Just as Yaten's hand was reaching for the door to leave a knock sounded from the other side.  I watched as his eyes lit with panic and he looked around the room for a place to hide.  For once my room wasn't a mess and there really wasn't any place for him to hide.  The knock came again and the next thing I knew Yaten was charging at me at full speed.  "What are you doing?"  I asked incredulously as Yaten dove under my covers with me and tried to conceal himself.  "Get out!"  I kicked at him as I felt his body against my legs.

"Shh!"  He pinched my skin and made me jump.

"Who were you talking to?"  Kintra asked as he came into the room.  He looked around to see if he was missing something.  He stole a glance out into the hallway and then closed the door behind him.  "I came here to tell you that you don't have to attend Usagi's testimony if you don't want to.  Kakyuu convinced them that you didn't need to be there."

"What?  I want to go!"  I said and felt another pinch at my leg.  "OW!"  I shot up and immediately tried to cover up my mistake as I threw a punch into my covers.  "Damn leg cramps!"

Kintra eyed me suspiciously.  "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, of course."  

"So you are coming?"  My emerald-haired friend asked again.

I hesitated knowing that I couldn't exactly get out of bed without giving away Yaten's position.  "Yeah I'll catch up with you."

He knew I was lying, I could tell.  As he stood and tried to figure out my situation I fidgeted in my bed.  I had to get rid of him.  "Usagi was very happy that she got to see you last night."  He started again before I could think of something to say to get him to leave.  I started shaking my head so that he would get the clue not to say anything about Usagi, and so Yaten couldn't see it.  "What are you shaking your head for?  She told me she was happy."  He was confused.

I just shook my head and sighed.  "Of course she was happy, that's how she treats all of her friends."  It was true, so what if he had thought her affection was only for me, I knew better but still allowed myself to believe the same folly once in a while.

"If she loves all of her friends as much as she loves you, then she has to have the biggest heart in the entire universe."  Kintra smiled, still not convinced that it was a bond of mere friendship that Odango and I shared between us.

"She does."  My answer was quick and spoken in a bit of reverie.

"Well come on! Get out of bed!  If you're going to be there to support her, you'd better get a move on!"  Kintra started to loom across the room, most likely to pluck me from my cushy bed.

"No, Kintra don't!"  I warned and signaled with my hands.  My pleas were so far going unheard.  "I'm naked under here!"  He didn't seem to care and was still coming towards me.  In once swift motion he ripped the covers off my bed to reveal me in my pajamas and Yaten curled into a ball with his hands over his head.

"YATEN?!"  Kintra was shocked and watched as our little friend sat up and started straightening his hair.  "Oh good god Seiya, I'm glad you weren't naked under there!"  Kintra laughed as he threw the covers back at Yaten.

Seeing as how Kintra wasn't mad and wasn't going to turn Yaten in for being in my room when he wasn't supposed to be, Yaten returned the shove I had given him earlier sending me sailing off my bed and then he proceeded to straighten his hair.  "So?  Yaten, what were you and Seiya doing under there?"  Kintra asked with a sly grin on his face.

"Oh shut up Kintra!"  Yaten shouted as he got up off my bed and stepped over me on the floor.  Though the mood had appeared to be light, the look Yaten passed in Kintra's direction was not a pleasant one.  "You don't know what you're doing.  Stay out of this."

My own and Kintra's faces reflected our confusion at Yaten's statement.  "Stay out of what?"  Kintra asked the question that was on both of our minds.  It seemed Yaten was not one to deal with this morning.

"Bringing her in here for him last night!  What the hell is wrong with you?"  Yaten stepped closer to Kintra, clearly not intimidated by our taller friend's size.  "Do you want to see him killed?"

"It's not his fault."  I stepped up between their confrontation.  There was an anger building in my chest.  I was truly appreciative of Kintra for what he had done for Odango and I last night and wasn't about to let Yaten badmouth him for his deeds.  "If he hadn't helped her then she would have tried to come in here on her own, and I doubt that whole ordeal would have been as slick or tactical."

He hadn't taken his eyes from Kintra but his expression softened.  "Just be more careful."  He spoke lowly as he turned his glance over to me.  "If I found out about it, then who knows who else has any ideas."  The silence filled the air as Yaten strode over to the mirror to make sure his appearance was presentable and then checking to see if the coast was clear at the door he slipped out.

"He really thinks I'm an idiot sometimes, doesn't he?"  Kintra raised a brow at the closed door.

"You are an idiot sometimes."  I shot back at him, but it was true.  "He just doesn't understand."

A smile played on Kintra's lips as he turned his full attention to me as I tried to replace the sheets and covers back on my bed.  "Is that why you confided most of your story in me?"  He asked, obviously amused by something he had brewing in his mind.

"Oh shut up, it's not the same thing at all."  I said not even bothering to turn and acknowledge him.  
  


"A senshi falls in love with a princess that he can never have, and is forced to keep his feelings for her a secret only to be tortured by them for the rest of his days.  No…"  He spoke sarcastically.  "That doesn't sound AT ALL familiar!"

I stopped what I was doing to let his words sink in a bit more.  It had just now dawned on me how truly similar our situations were.  Kintra had been completely lost in love over our princess, Princess Kakyuu.  The two of them can never be together due to her royal and political status, so he thought it best if he just bottled his feelings up inside of him.  All of the pain and emotions must have become too much for him and he needed a release.  That's where I came in.  Pouring his heart out to me one night, the entire story unfolded.

This reason was not at all why I had sought out Kintra for support and possible advice.  Of the six of us, Kintra seemed to understand people the best, granted he didn't always use this understanding for constructive purposes, and occasionally aided me in my many tortures of Healer and Chaser.  It was rather amusing how Kintra could not figure out his feelings in his own situation, but other people's were more than clear to him.  Perhaps him helping me to sort out mine will give him a means to an end for his own.  There's wishful thinking for ya!

~@~@~@~

"Seiya, Kintra, so nice of you two to join us today."  Zankou smiled down below.  We were late, and the trial had already begun.  I assumed that Kakyuu had informed Zankou and Judge 13 that I wouldn't be attending today.

Behind Zankou's pacing form sat Odango on the platform.  My heart sank the second I set my eyes on her.  She was so sad and looked as though she had already been given reason to feel dejected by this decaying old man.  I ignored his statement and tried my best not to let my eyes linger on Odango as I walked with my head high down to my place.  I heard whispers from the audience as I proceeded down the stairs, but couldn't make any of them out.

"As I was saying-"  Zankou continued as Kintra and I broke apart and sat down.  I looked up at Kakyuu who gave me a wry, lopsided smile.  How much had Kintra told her?  I knew when it came to an issue between Kintra and Kakyuu that he would tell her everything in a heart beat and I couldn't help but wonder if this had been the case here.  "-how often did you have contact with Seiya on Earth?"

Odango paused before she answered, I could tell that she was trying to think of something to say that he couldn't turn around on her.  I felt so bad for her, but it was endearing at the same time that she was that concerned about letting me down.  "Everyday in school and then occasionally when he wasn't busy with practice or other things."

"Other things?  Like finding his Princess?"  Zankou shot back, I was not pleased that he was trying to start this already this morning.

"I don't know, I didn't know he was looking for his princess at the time."  She was so lost and I wanted to go up onto the platform and give her a big hug to comfort her.  Odango wasn't supposed to have to go through this kind of thing and now it was all my fault.  I should have taken Kintra's lead and not have allowed my feelings to interfere with any other part of my life.

"Do you think he purposely kept that information from you?"  He asked coming up a little closer to her and sending her a kind look.  Was he trying to ease her mind? 

"I think so."  She nodded her head; her body seemed a bit more relaxed as Zankou upped the personal atmosphere of it all.

"Do you believe that it was so that he would be free to develop a relationship with you?"  Odango's eyes searched around and then landed back on Zankou's form.  I knew a question like this was going to come up and therefore it hadn't taken me too much off my guard.  

"What are you talking about?  Seiya wasn't trying to develop a relationship with me."  It was true, I hadn't been trying to establish anything with her, she had just naturally grown on me.  I looked around the auditorium-like room on to the faces of the spectators around me.  They all seemed so distant, so blurry.  These were people that I had been around and among my entire life and now they seemed so alien and strange to me.  Never had their eyes been turned on me in question before.

When I turned to look at Odango, seeing as how I could get away with it now that she was on the platform, she was as clear as day, shining with all the intensity that I remembered.  In her muddling and confusion she still appeared just as beautiful and magnificent as every one of my memories made her out to be.

"If he wasn't trying to develop a relationship with you, then what would be your explanation for him pursuing you and asking you for dates?"  Zankou was right, perhaps on some level I was pursuing her, though at the time I would have only admitted that it was to kill time between songs to complete my mission.  It was rather amusing that he was asking Odango to explain my 'feelings' towards her to him and the rest of the crowd when she had only a few days ago discovered them for herself.

Odango shrugged, her hand came to her face and her delicate finger to the corner of her mouth in contemplation.  "I don't know, he did like to tease me.  Maybe that's what he was doing.  He was always so pleased with my reaction when I would blow up at him."  I heard a snicker escape the crowd and my eyes immediately shot to where Yaten and Kintra were sitting.  

"You did agree to go on one of these dates though, didn't you?"  Odango's eyes quickly lifted from Zankou's form and flew up the rows to where Mamoru was sitting.  I was sure he already knew about this, it's not like Odango could lie or keep a secret like that from anyone, let alone him.  There was a nervousness there as though it was a touchy subject to bring up.

"At the time he really didn't leave me any choice as to whether or not I was to join him."

"He forced you to go then?"  Zankou became more interested in this now and serious faces replaced the once humorous faces of Yaten and Kintra.

"No, no, no! You've got it wrong."  Odango insisted.  "He asked me to go, and I tried to make up excuses as to why I couldn't, but he caught me and told me where to meet him, then walked off before I could say no."

"Then why didn't you just not show up the next day?"  I had wondered that myself.  At the time, I had half expected her not to show up at all.  It's not like she viewed me in even remotely the same way as the rest of the teenage-girl population on Earth did, there was nothing saying that she would be there.

"Because that's rude."  Odango shot him a puzzled look as though the guy had never learned of manners before.  "You can't just do that to a friend."

"So you'll let them walk all over you and get what they want from you?  What if he had asked you to marry him and walked off?  Would you have shown up at the alter the next day?"  A smile appeared on my face at the thought of the whole scene, but it was abruptly forgotten when I saw how upset Odango was becoming.

"That's different-"

"How is that different?  It's the same thing to me."  Zankou mocked her with his fake incompetence.

"It's different because spending time with a friend in no way entails devoting your entire life to them!"  There was a look of anger and frustration covering her rays of sunshine.  This was not at all the way Odango was supposed to look.  Not even in the battle against Galaxia had she resorted to such aggravation.

I was actually becoming scared and I felt as though things were swirling out of control.  "Princess?"  I looked up at Kakyuu who was watching the trial before her.  My voice was hushed and she hadn't heard me.  "Princess?!"  I spoke a bit louder bringing her attention down to me.  "Stop him."  I said referring to Zankou and his accusations.

"Why?  He's not doing anything?"  Kakyuu asked not knowing Odango as well as I did, to know that she was reaching a certain unbreached point.

"You have to stop him."  I pleaded desperately.

"Seiya!  That's enough."  Judge 13 said sternly from his seat high above and drew the audience's attention on to me.  I stared back at them in contempt while Zankou just smirked.  He knew what he was doing and his questions started to come faster so she didn't have as much time to think about her answers in between them.

"Do you have anything against the royal crown of Kinmoku?"

"Of course not!"  Odango answered appalled that he would even presume to ask such a question.

"Then why did you continue to consort with Seiya when Taiki and Yaten told you to stay away from him, that you only brought bad things upon them?"  Zankou had a clipboard in his hands now, apparently he had taken notes and felt the need to use them against Usagi.  Some of my previous accounts nonetheless, and he was going to find every hole in them to bring me down.

"He was hurt, and it was my fault.  I wanted to see his condition, he was my friend."  She really was too kind and I had to smile at that. 

"So you believed that your friendship with him was more important than his mission to find his princess?"

"No, I didn't think that at all!  I didn't know of his mission to find his princess, I didn't have any idea that the others thought I was stepping over my bounds and confusing Seiya."  Her flustered state was continuing and if anything, growing in her confusion.

"So you didn't realize that you were leading him on?"  

"HEY!"  A voice yelled from the audience, once again it was Haruka on her feet and sending the worst death glare down to Zankou.  "I will not stand by and allow you to degrade my princess this way."  Her voice was demanding and I wished for a second that I were in the same position to be making these threats and points.  The tall blond senshi began to descend down the stairs towards the platform.  She wasn't going to charge him, was she?

"Ten'ou-san, kindly take your seat."  Judge 13 warned as he stood to assert his authority as if that was all it was going to take to sit Haruka back down.  She kept coming and his idle threat needed to be acted upon.  "Chaser, Developer, please escort Ten'ou-san out of my presence."

In an instance my fellow companions were at Haruka's side and taking her by an arm each.  Haruka allowed her arms to be taken, seeing that she wouldn't be able to win a war single handedly against an entire planet. (Though I'm sure somewhere in the back of her mind she someday sought to test out this theory.)  Her eyes flashed dangerously to me.  "Don't let them do this to her."  She ordered as though I had any control over what was going on here.  Before she could say any more she was being ushered out by Chaser and Developer.

My head went down as I could feel all of the Sol Senshi's eyes on me not to mention my Odango's.  There was nothing I could do… or could I?

"Princess?!"  My head snapped up and I looked into her ruby eyes.  When I found her attention on me I continued with my plan.  "What if I just confess and go along with Zankou, will Odango be free to go?"

Kakyuu gasped and looked at me shocked.  "No Fighter, I won't let you do that!"

"Princess, I have to!  I can't see her suffer this way."  I begged this of her and our conversation eventually spread to Judge 13's ears.

"Stop it!"  He demanded of me.  "I will speak with you in private."  He ordered as he rose to go to his quarters.  "Zankou, carry on."  He insisted as he walked to me and hoisted me up from my seat.  From the wide eyes and stares coming from Taiki, Yaten and Kintra I could tell this wasn't going to be good.  

Once in the privacy of his quarters he released me and tossed me roughly into the room, then proceeded to slam the door behind him.  "Did you once stop and think of your Princess in this situation?"  He questioned me.  How had he become so angry with me all of the sudden?  His form was frail but there was still powerful energy emanating from him.

"How is this having any effect on her?  This has nothing to do with her!"  I retorted, trying my damnedest to keep my temper under control.  Not only was Zankou out there saying god-only-knows-what to my Odango, but I wasn't there to protect her.

"You are so selfish, you always have been.  You don't stop to think of others, do you?  The only things that cross your mind are the things that work for you or benefit you in someway.  Maybe Zankou was right.  Maybe you are guilty of treason."  He stopped, his chest heaving.  "This trial is taking its toll on Princess Kakyuu, she's concerned about you.  Now you might not understand that due to the fact that it doesn't 'effect' you, but imagine the agony this is causing her?  She has grown up with you six, you are the only friends she has, and right now she is under the threat of losing one of you."

I couldn't even answer him back with a snappy comeback.  He was right and it hurt.  When had I lost my loyalty to my princess… to my friend Kakyuu?  "I'm sorry."  I said with my head hung low though I knew these simple words were not going to suffice the pain I had caused.

"Don't say you're sorry.  Make your choice."  His statement was blunt as he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.  "One of them is going to have to suffer, but only one of them will have to live with that pain their entire life once you're gone, and that is the one your loyalty should be unwavering to."

"Am I guilty?"  I asked more to myself than to him, but it had come out in words regardless.

"I don't think you are and this…"  He signaled to him and myself.  "… this is between us."

"Thank you."  I smiled at him.  He was after all so understanding and he knew the pressures we were all facing. 

Together we walked out into the auditorium once more to a loud racket of clamber and voices.  I looked around trying to assess what had happened, we couldn't have been gone for more than ten minutes.  Princess Kakyuu was speaking to Judge 13 now, most likely explaining to him what had happened and why everyone was in an uproar suddenly.

Kintra was by my side momentarily and gripping onto my arm tightly, why, I didn't know.  Yaten and Taiki were currently talking to one another and hurrying over to where our Princess was.  The crowd was in a mixture of gossip, some standing, some pointing but all of them talking.  The Sol Senshi were to their feet, all except Mamoru, Rei and Minako had been permitted to leave their group and head down to Odango. 

Odango… she was… crying?  I felt the anger building in my body, a swelling mass in my chest as I became even more confused and concerned at the same time.  What had he done?  "Kintra?!"  I asked shocked and in a bit of a panic.  "What happened?  What did he do?  What's wrong with Odango?"

"Come on Seiya."  Kintra directed me to the exit.  "We should probably get you out of here."

~@~@~@~

Gomen for the late update, we've both been recuperating from LiR's birthday… @_@


	7. Blowing Off Steam in the Aftermath

Treason

7

(Blowing Off Steam in the Aftermath)

Kintra set a hurried pace back to my quarters.  We had been walking now for quite sometime but he hadn't spoken a word to me.  My pleas for an explanation seemed to fall upon deaf ears as he kept his attention and eyes diverted from me.  There was no one coming up behind me and I was becoming more and more baffled by this situation.  

"You may not even be able to take the platform."  Kintra spoke as he closed the door behind us when we entered my room.

The snow had begun to fall causing little snowdrifts to form on the sills of my window.  The flakes swirled around outside and did no justice to the dizziness in my already clouded mind.  "What happened?"  I asked disdainfully as I was becoming irritated with his silence and this whole situation.  "What did he do to Odango?"

"Let's just say that in some ways, my friend, you are better and worse off than I am."  Kintra sighed as he pulled back the heavy curtain that covered my tall window to gain a full view of the elements outside.

I stood and slammed my hand against the window and looked him in the eye.  "Stop giving me half-assed answers!"  I was demanding this of him; I hadn't the slightest clue what Zankou had done to get Odango this upset yet and I was already fuming to the point of almost exploding.

Kintra's eyes focused on my form and sized me up.  There was an odd emotion in them, one which I could not place at the moment, almost like jealousy.  "She loves you."  He said as though the answer had been obvious to anyone but myself.

I felt the muscles in my face loosening and relaxing as the words filtered into my subconscious.  She loved me?  But how?  "No, that's wrong."

"It's not wrong Seiya."  He looked past me and out to the courtyard below.  "Zankou's questions became quicker and more intense the moment you left the room.  Usagi was having a hard time trying to think before speaking and it was plain to see that she was becoming flustered and aggravated with him.  Then, once he had her worked up to the level that he wanted her at, he questioned her about why she came to your room last night… that's when she lost it and screamed that she loved you.  You could tell that it wasn't what she had meant to say at all because her hands flew up to cover her mouth so quickly."

The usual support of my legs started to give way, a feeling of weakness entered and snaked through my entire body.  I had to sit down, this wasn't happening.  My entire body was in conflict with itself.  The rage, hatred and animosity that I felt for Zankou at this moment were battling with the feelings of love, lust and sorrow that came for my Odango.  I was torn between the blissful joy of relief and acceptance and the just about uncontrollable urge to tear out of the room and mutilate Zankou at that very moment.  "I have to see her."  I spoke suddenly voicing my opinion out loud.

Kintra simply shook his head.  "Stop and think about this situation for just a moment.  If the princess that you are accused of repositioning your loyalty to, has just professed her love for you to the entire planet of Kinmoku-sei, doesn't that leave open the suspicions and possibilities of an affair in people's minds?"  He must have seen the pissed look cross my features because immediately his hands came up before him to defend himself.  "I'm not saying anything of the sort happened, but you have to take into account the way that Zankou has gotten their minds going.  How would it look if you were found trying to go to her now?"

"Arghh!!" I growled in frustration as I walked over to the door of my room.

"Seiya!"  Kintra's warning came from behind me.  I turned, brining my eyes up from the floor below, I glanced into his deep green eyes.  "We're lucky enough that they allowed me to come back here with you, let's not press it and have to have Chaser or Developer in here too."

I slammed my fist hard into the wall producing a crater to form giving way to many little cracks.  The pain surged from my knuckles in pulsating agony back towards my arm.  It didn't matter.  Again my fist flew towards the wall, this time causing my knuckles to become bloody, but that didn't stop me from doing it again… and again.

A firm hold was placed on my arm as I tried to swing it again.  I did manage to come in contact with the wall, but at nowhere near the velocity that I had originally planned on.  Kintra's hand had stopped me momentarily, but I was stronger than him and only needed to be provoked to be set off once more.  "Stop, this isn't getting you anywhere."

"Getting me anywhere?  How is anything going to get me anywhere now?"  I seethed through my clenched teeth at him.  I wanted nothing more than to slam my fists back into the walls that bound me in this room.  There were just so many emotions flowing through my body that I need some sort of release, I couldn't hold them all in.  "Who's going to comfort her now?!"

"Seiya, she has her senshi with her and-"

"NO!"  I cried out.  "They're not good enough, they aren't what she needs."

"And who the hell are you to know what she needs?"  I had clearly crossed over some unknown boundary with Kintra because his build appeared just as agitated as mine as he looked onto me with such scornful emotions in his eyes.  "You don't even know what you need yourself and you think you can be the judge of a situation for someone else?"

"Look whose talking!"  I stood only feet away from him, I could see something building between us and my statements were only adding to it.  "You are in no position to be reprimanding me about not thinking through my current situation when you're so blind to your own."

"Drop it Seiya!"  He knew where this and my words were going and tried to end this now.  "She's not worth your life and honor."

"That's all that I have and I would gladly give it up in a heart beat if she needed it!  If you can't understand that then maybe I was wrong to think our situations were similar, maybe you don't truly understand what it's like to love someone so completely that it consumes you.  Maybe you don't really love Kakyuu as much as you think you do."

I felt it before I saw it, a dull throbbing had formed on the left side of my face from coming in contact with Kintra's fist.  There were no thoughts of peace in my mind, all I knew was the fury and resentment that had been implanted in my soul, and they both called for revenge.  My eyes flicked on Kintra who was standing with wide eyes, apparently he had been shocked by his actions too.  Nothing was thought through but my fist was already speeding towards his face.  His hands didn't even have time to come up to his defense before I made contact with the bone of his face.

In no time we were in a full out brawl but it was more or less me offensively while Kintra had already sobered from his anger and wanted nothing more than to stop this now.  All my frustration was being burned off in the workings of my muscles as I struggled to gain ground on him.  My strength was magnified, and this wasn't a good thing for Kintra since he held nowhere near the same ground as I did even on a good day.  I had made it to the top, mounting on top of his frame as his arms struggled to hold me at bay, I freed my fist to strike his face once more.

"SEIYA!"  A voice cut into the madness and stopped my closed fist from falling.  There in the doorway stood Yaten, Taiki and… Princess Kakyuu.  My hands were covered in blood, most of it my own but as I looked back at Kintra I noticed that his had contributed to the mess also.

I stood, now having calmed from my fit, the shame was setting in.  My princess' eyes were on me with confusion.  Though there had always been mini-brawls between the lot of us, we had never once allowed Kakyuu to witness them.  I felt so barbaric in her gentle and graceful presence.  

"What the hell were you doing?"  Yaten asked as Taiki rushed over to help Kintra up from his position on the floor.  I didn't have an answer for his question and just stared slack jawed at the floor.

"Fighter?  Seeker?"  Kakyuu came up to us, worriment was written in her features and Judge 13's words came flooding back to me.

"I'm sorry Princess."  I spoke in a hushed tone.  

Kintra was soon by my side wiping the blood from his nose and the corner of his mouth on the back of his sleeve.  In quick bow he presented himself before our princess before speaking.  "Sorry Lady, there were just things that Seiya and I needed to clear up between ourselves.  I take all blame for this though the situation isn't as bad as you may be perceiving it."  His attention then turned to me as a smile lit his face.  "You do feel better now, don't you?" 

Was he serious?  My reflection turned inward as I focused on everything I had been thinking about before his fist.  My mind WAS clearer and perhaps it was due to the brief fighting tango Kintra and I had engaged in.  I nodded my head with a lopsided grin on my face, in a sense thanking him and not needing to say any more or rehash what had happened.

"Sorry?  Well are you alright?"  She came up and examined Kintra's face and I had to smile as the tall –attempting to be brutely- man swatted her hands away and tried to hide his blush from her daunting affection.

"You guys are a couple of morons, you know that?"  Yaten sighed flipping his hair back from his face.

"I'll assume that Kintra has already informed you of what happened while you were in Judge 13's quarters, ne?"  Taiki looked over the two of us in dismay.  I nodded my head and proceeded to find a place to sit down.  "Judge 13 called off the rest of the trial today on Princess Kakyuu's wishes and you will have to take the platform tomorrow instead."

"Yeah and it looks like that's a good thing now too."  Yaten sneered throwing a handkerchief in my direction to clean myself up.  "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I just mistook Kintra's face for yours momentarily, no big deal.  That little episode from this morning must have still been on my mind."  I dabbed at the split in my lip and then wrapped my right hand in the blue linen.

Yaten snorted in response while Kintra just laughed.  His laughter soon gave away to a cry of pain as he leaned forward to try and ease it.  "I must be becoming soft."  He mused as he tried to straighten himself out despite the pain.  Kakyuu was looking after all, he couldn't be a crybaby now.

"Princess?"  I asked looking directly at her as she observed the idiotic chaos around her.  Her head lifted and her eyes rested on me.  "Can I speak with you alone?"  Her head nodded in response causing her ruby hair to spill over her shoulder.  The others knew well enough that this was their cue to leave.  I waited until they were completely out of the room before I got up to sit a little closer to my princess.  "I wanted to apologize to you for what I said to you during the trial today."

"Fighter you scared me half to death."  Her hand came to her chest in the most graceful fashion and rested over her heart.

"I realize that now."  I sighed and hung my head a bit.  "Princess you know I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you, ne?"  I didn't even wait for her response for I already knew what it was to be.  "I'm sorry that I've put you through this, I'm well aware that the pain that is being inflicted upon you was caused by my confused actions.  I love you as my princess and my life is devoted to you.  What kind of senshi would I be if I forgot that and caused you harm instead?"  A chuckle escaped my lips as I looked into her deep caring eyes.

"Fighter, I know that your love and life are no longer solely devoted to me.  I can see that you love her."  Her eyes were shining and a small smile played on her crimson lips.  "She has your heart now and though it may have taken me a while to realize it, I do see it and I'm very thankful that you have been able to experience such a joy."

"It is a joy, but it's brought me nothing but pain."  I sighed as I fought back the tears in my eyes.  Now, I wasn't one to normally cry, but I had just become so worked up today, then with the tiff with Kintra and now this… it was just a bit too much.  "She doesn't have my heart, it isn't mine to give."

"Don't say that."  Kakyuu whispered and brought her hand up to sooth the split in my lip.  "You are a soldier, not stone."

"But Prin-"

"Shhh…  I only want you to be happy, you are my friend before you are my senshi and that is the way it will always be."  She rose to her feet and began to walk to the door.  In an instance I was up and rushing towards the door to get it for her.

I stopped as I reached the door and allowed her to catch up.  I smiled gratefully at her with my hand resting on the knob.  "Thank you… Kakyuu."  She smiled in return at the name and kissed my cheek.  

With both of our heads so close to the door we heard the faint remnants of a conversation outside the door.  I had assumed that Kintra had waited around outside my room, but there was a female voice accompanying him now.  Most likely it was Chaser or Developer come to scold him for taking me out of the courtroom before they could.  Kakyuu's eyes looked up at mine asking a silent question.

Ever so quietly we both worked to open the door to allow the conversation to filter in more clearly.  I now recognized the female voice that was speaking to Kintra, it was Rei.

"You don't understand."  The senshi of Mars' voice was stern as she stood across from Kintra.  "She was unaware that he returned her feelings when he was on Earth the first time.  None of us were going to clue her in."

"That has nothing to do with him seeing her now."  Kintra shot back and I could only assume they were talking about Odango and me.

"Now that she has the thoughts that the feeling is mutual between the two of them it's causing her even more pain.  Separating them this time would be next to impossible if they were to see one another."  I was amazed at how Rei's cool appearance in no way reflected her words.  "Do you know that she has a future waiting for her on Earth?  In the future she has a fiancé, a daughter, and is the ruler of Crystal Tokyo.  She is our savior, we'd be nowhere without her."

"Then why don't you make her happy, let her do what she wants to do."  Kintra insisted trying to reason with her.  "If you owe her so much, at least owe her her own happiness."  He smiled at her, neither of them had noticed us spying on their conversation.

"But Chibi-Usa-"

"I can only imagine that Chibi-Usa is her daughter in the future, but you have to stop and think, how did she get to that future?  You don't know do you?  How do you know that this wasn't just a part of her obtaining that goal, of her discovering who she really is?  If you had never seen that future, would you have tried to stop her right now?"

"No."

"Then that means that she's reached that future on her own without anyone's interference."  My head was spinning in circles at his logic and I couldn't tell if he was trying to confuse Rei or if he was really trying to make a point.  "Let her live her life, she hasn't let you down yet, has she?"

Rei smiled at his statement and gave him a wink.  "I think all of you Kinmoku men have the gifts of good looks and smooth tongues."  A blush made its way to Kintra's cheeks as Rei turned to head back to the guest wing.  I looked down at Kakyuu and noticed a scowl on her face.  Was she jealous?

"I know you two were listening."  Kintra said as Rei was out of earshot.  Kakyuu and I pushed the door open far enough so that we were both exposed completely to the hallway.

Without saying a word to either one of us, Kakyuu threw her nose in the air and walked haughtily past Kintra.  Kintra shot me a questioning look and I just smiled mouthing 'jealous' at Kakyuu while pointing at her retreating form.  Kintra raised a green brow, and just after a smile stretched across his face he turned on his heel to follow her down the hall.

It was rather amusing and useful.  When the comedy of the situation wore off I realized something.  I was alone and unguarded.  A smile came to my face and a plan came to mind.


	8. Sneakers

Treason

8

(Sneakers)

I used to have such freedom in this palace, to be able to come and go as I pleased.  Never once had I ever imagined myself being its prisoner.  The halls were empty.  There usually wasn't much activity in the sleeping quarters of the palace during the day and I silently thanked my stars for that.  I could make it down and back before anyone ever knew what had happened.  I needed to talk with her.

The adrenaline pumping in my veins created a ringing sound in my ears.  This single loss of sense had handicapped me more than I could have guessed.  Though it seemed as though everything was working against me at the moment, not a single doubt had entered my mind as to whether or not I was going to make it.  It wasn't an option to fail, I would see my Odango.

The guest wing wasn't far from the senshi's quarters and I had made it this far almost effortlessly.  Occasionally I would need to conceal myself behind a pillar to avoid a servant or two but for the most part my coast was clear.  In rounding the final corner to bring me to the hallway, that I knew Odango's room must be in, I spotted my pitfall.  There, outside the door that I could only assume was Odango's, stood Haruka, Michiru and Makoto.  My hopes faded, it seemed impossible, as their guard was impervious.

I knew I should head back to my room, there was no sense in pushing my luck any further today, but something inside of me told me to stay, or rather wouldn't let me leave.  I stood with my eyes fixed on the tall senshi of Uranus weighing my options.

A- Walk up to the three Sol Senshi and greet them.  Then once that was out of the way simply ask for access to Odango's room.  (This didn't seem too promising and the only thing I would probably gain from that would be a black eye and a few broken bones ala Haruka!)

B- Charge the door and take all three of them on as opponents.  (I can't believe I even thought of that one, if the repercussions of that one aren't obvious I think I'm getting slow.)

Either way I looked at it, I was facing a Haruka beating and that didn't weigh too well on my mind.  The door to Odango's room opened and drew my attention towards it.  Haruka, Michiru and Makoto all straightened up and faced the open door where Rei emerged with her head down.  "We should just leave them alone for a while."  She said as she closed the door behind her.  

Michiru nodded in agreement to Rei's statement and turned to Haruka.  "Is he mad?"  The tall blonde woman asked curiously.  Her tone had a hidden meaning to it though, and the protective nature of the statement didn't go unnoticed.

"I don't know.  His face was like stone and his eyes were just as placid as they've always been.  I've never been able to get a good sense of Mamoru's mood before, and this time is no exception."  Rei spoke glancing back at the closed door behind her as though she could see through the material blocking her view.

"I'm not leaving here if he is mad at her.  I'm not leaving my Koneko alone in there if he decides to act on his anger."  Haruka warned clenching her fist in front of her.  This statement earned a curious look from Makoto while Michiru shook her head.

"Haruka, Mamoru isn't like that."  Makoto offered up trying to get her back in the right mindset.  "He would never do anything to hurt Usagi."

Haruka nodded reluctantly and closed her eyes briefly.  "I know."  She picked her head up and smiled, though it seemed forced, the others responded to it nonetheless.  "Well let's leave them to what they need to do."  Haruka spoke up again before slinging her arm around Michiru's waist.

"Seiya?!"  My heart went into my throat, had I been caught?  I quickly turned around full face to see just who had spotted me.  The same servant girl that had always brought me my meals, the one that Kintra flirted with, was standing behind me with wide eyes.  In a moment's hesitation I grabbed hold of her and pulled her into the sanctity of my hiding spot.  My head peeked just slightly around the corner to see if the others had become suspicious from the sound, but they appeared oblivious to it.

"Gomen."  I released her when our threat of getting caught had passed.  I looked into her eyes trying to figure out what was on her mind.  She did have the ability to turn me in right now, to call for anyone to witness me out of my room, but she remained silent.

Her eyes were in turn studying me.  "What are you doing here?"  She asked in disbelief, her head turned quickly every now and again keeping an eye out for more spectators.  "You're not supposed to be here."  She informed me as if I hadn't already known that.

"I know.  Please don't turn me in yet."  I pleaded with her hoping to play on a bit of her sympathy.

"Yet?  Seiya, I couldn't turn you in."  Her words had stunned me for a minute.  Though I was relieved that she wasn't going to turn me in I was still amazed at the fact.  "You and Kintra are two of the only people here that treat me as a person and not a 'maid'.  I owe you at least this as a thank you."

My eyes blinked in surprise.  This deed was WAY more than a mere thank you of sorts but I was thankful for it anyway.  "I just wanted to talk to her."

Her eyes stayed on me unwaveringly and she only nodded in response.  I was beginning to think she had a plan in mind and my hopes lit more brightly.  Waving her hand in an effort to get me to follow her, she brought me towards the servant's station.  There were at least ten carts in a row with long white draperies hung over them.  I recognized them immediately as our bath carts.  There were towels, soap, shampoo and other bath accessories.  One cart caught my eye however because it had a red rubber ducky on it.  I laughed lightly because I knew this was my princess' cart.

"Get under this one."  She ordered and I didn't question her judgment.  Taking one last look around and feeling satisfied that I hadn't been spotted, I crawled beneath the covering of the cart.  It smelt absolutely delicious and all thoughts of this being an unpleasant experience were gone from my mind.

"Saori!"  A stern voice halted all movement of the cart, though we had only begun to move moments before.  "Where are you going with that cart?"

There was hesitation in the maid's tone, who I now assumed was Saori.  "I was bringing Princess Serenity her bath cart early sir."  Clearly this was her superior, I couldn't see the man but his authoritative voice and the way Saori had addressed him couldn't lead to many other possibilities.

"And why exactly are you doing that?  Who gave you such an order?"  He was not pleased and I could see the hope in our plan deflating quickly.  With any luck I'd be stuck hiding under this cart all day long until Saori could finally come back and save me… or worse, until I was discovered by someone else.

"Sir… I was merely thinking of her well-being.  Uh… she had… um such a trying day today that I figured she'd want to unwind… and me uh… being a girl and what-not, I like to take baths… and I just thought that uh… maybe she would too?"  She was questioning herself with her words though they did sound like a semi-feasible excuse.

I heard the contact of a hand cracking against a person's body and felt the urge to jump from beneath the cart to come to Saori's defense.  "Good thinking girl!"  His tone had changed and was now lighter.  "We don't want to appear rude and unthoughtful, ne?"  He was congratulating her on her spur of the moment idea and the sound I heard must have been him patting her on the back.

Saori started giggling lightly.  "N-no of course not Sir."

"Well? On with you now!"  He cheered and I heard his footsteps in retreat.  My heart slowed a bit as the feeling of dread passed me by.  We were in the clear again and I could only imagine the insecurity that Saori had felt in that situation.  If we did get caught, I would insist that I forced her to do this and that she had no choice but to comply.  After all, I'm already going down, why take someone else with me?

We traveled in silence, the rhythmic pattern of the cartwheels tracing over the groves in the tiles was all that could be heard.  I didn't dare try to speak with Saori, that was just asking for someone to find us out.  Though I was sure that it was only a few short minutes, it still seemed like an eternity before we arrived at Odango's door.  I heard Saori exhale a breath that no doubt she had been holding for a while now.  "Ready?"  She whispered before knocking at the door, not waiting for my response.  It had taken me a minute to realize she was preparing herself for this, not me.

The door opened but there was no sound.  "I've brought Princess Serenity's bath cart in case the lady would care to relax."  

"Thank you."  A voice answered her, but this was not my Odango's voice, this was Mamoru's voice, cold and deadpanned.  "Just leave it in the bathroom please."  He spoke, his words quick. 

"Good luck."  Saori whispered to me to let me know she was leaving me.  I made a mental note to spoil that girl beyond belief if I ever got out of this alive.  The sounds of her shoes on the hard floor echoed through the deafening silence of the room.  Mamoru spoke a quick thank you once more before the door of the bedroom shot her out.

"Mamo-chan?"  Odango's voice sliced through the silence but wasn't answered immediately.  This was clearly a conversation that was not intended for my ears, but what choice did I have at the moment?  None, I had to remain quiet and listen.

Some time passed before I heard the click of shoes on the floor.  "Usako, I just don't understand."  There were gentle sobs filling the room and I knew my Odango was crying.  "If you felt this way, why didn't you tell me?"

"Mamo-chan, I don't know why I said that!"  She sobbed recklessly and caused my heart to wince at her statement.  "I love you Mamo-chan."  At that moment I wished I hadn't come, it took a great deal of strength in me to sit there and listen to her words when all I wanted to do was get up and walk out the door.  I didn't care if I got caught.  Those brief moments when I was allowed to believe that my Odango cared for me the same way I did for her, had teased my mind so badly that these words stung my heart more deeply than they ever did before.

"But you love him too."  Once again Mamoru's voice was curt, but it was very plain to see that they were filled with hurt as well.  Odango's voice didn't counter him and somehow that single fact eased a bit of the pain in my heart, at least she didn't deny it completely.  "Why didn't you tell me that you thought we were growing apart?  Why didn't you tell me it was fading away?"

"Because it's not!"  All of her words came out as more of pleas than statements and my heart went out to her and the pain in her words.

"Usako, don't do this to yourself, don't lie.  I've seen how you've grown and matured while I've been gone.  I knew I couldn't be around you all the time, but I never dreamed that this could happen to us."  His voice was coming from somewhere beside the door to the room while Usagi's emanated from near the bed.  "I just want the both of us to be happy."

"Then we should be together!"  Odango demanded.  Each time she reinstated her relationship or belief in her relationship with Mamoru it tore me down a bit more.

"Could you truly be happy with me?"  Mamoru asked giving away nothing to sense of what he wanted to hear for an answer.  "Could you live with your what-ifs if you just walked away from him now?"  Odango was silent and she had stopped crying by now.  "I don't want to be with you if there is someone else in your heart, that's not fair to either one of us."

The clapping of bare feet on the marble floor resounded through the room and I knew it was Odango running towards Mamoru.  "No, don't."  He spoke when her footsteps stopped.  "Usako, just take time to think about what you want.  Remember, we have all of eternity to figure this out, and that's how long I will wait for you."  There was another clap of bare skin on the floor and I could only assume that it was Odango's body dropping to the cold floor.  Moments later the door to her room opened and closed quietly and I knew Mamoru was gone.

Odango's gentle sobs filled the room and pained my heart.  Cautiously I peeked my head out from under the sheet to catch a glimpse of my surroundings.  I had half a mind to stay under this sheet until Saori came back to retrieve me again, I couldn't talk to her now, could I?  "What's wrong with me?"  Her voice broke through the sobs, but I knew she wasn't asking this of me.

I felt the moisture in my own eyes just from listening to her go through her torment.  "Seiya…"  She spoke my name, though she had no idea I was there.  "I need to see you…"  Her sobs took over her words and I could see that she hadn't gotten up from her position on the floor.  It was strange to hear her speaking the same words about me now that she had to me so long ago concerning Mamoru.  I had to stop my body from reacting to this sight.  I couldn't go to her now.  Her hair falling in cascading waves over her shoulders only to mix with the skirts of her dress and the lonely tears on the ground below.  "I'm leaving tomorrow and I may never be able to see him again…"  Her sob broke up her sentence and I watched as it crumbled some more.  "I do love you Seiya… I do…"

"Odango?"  I stood in the doorway of her bathroom afraid to step any closer to her.  I couldn't let her go on that way, it wasn't right for her to not know that I was here.  Her head picked up and her tear-streaked face was immediately turned to me.

"Seiya!"  Here eyes lit up while she rested on her hands and knees looking up at me.

"I came to apologize."  I stated bluntly as I slowly walked to her, knowing full well that I shouldn't, but I couldn't resist her much longer.  The longing and desire filled me as did her vision and I knew all my sense and judgment would be lost soon.  "I didn't mean to ruin your life.  I'm sorry that you have to go through this right now, what you had to go through today.  It's all my fault, and I just wanted you to know that I would NEVER do anything that intentionally causes you pain."

By now I had come up right before her and knelt down to eye level with her.  Her eyes were beautiful before but seemed even more so now that she had been crying.  The still pooling tears in her eyes reflected even more light in the room and the red hue that encircled them only brought about a contrast in the bright blue.  Before I knew what had happened Odango had thrown herself in my arms and I did all I could to comfort her with my embrace.  "It just seems like a twisted dream, that it couldn't be reality, yet it is.  I've always wished for this, to hear you say that you loved me, but to obtain that by these means… Even though I know now that you didn't mean it when you said it…"

"Seiya… I did mean it."

"Odango, I've been here ever since Saori brought your cart in.  I heard every word you spoke to Mamoru."  I looked at her seriously, she wasn't going to try and turn this around on me.  I took it as pity but it hurt that she had planned to lie to me.

"I'm supposed to be with Mamoru in the future, I have to do what I can to preserve that."  She sat up a little straighter, regaining some of the composure she had lost only moments ago.  "It was never supposed to come to light, we were never supposed to see you again.  I never planned to tell anyone of my feelings for you.  I even denied them to myself for a time."

"You're lying to Mamoru?"  I asked trying to get this situation straight in my mind.

Odango nodded her head signaling a sad 'yes'.  "But now that I've seen you again… I don't think I can leave you again.  I know Mamoru loves me so deeply and it's hard to do this to him."

I felt my face hardening at her words.  I don't think she realized what she just said; I don't think she thought through how much those words would affect me.  It's hard for Mamoru because he loves her so deeply?  What about me?  Did she think that this was easy on me at all?  "Odango you don't have a choice…"  I stated firmly gripping onto her shoulders, more to brace myself for what I was about to say.  "You have to stay with Mamoru."

"I used to think that, but I think I can change my own destiny… with you."  She took my hand into her own and I felt a warm sensation pass through my body at just her touch, it did wonders to cloud my mind.

I pulled my hand back suddenly, remembering fully what was going on.  "Odango we can never be together."  Was I really telling her this right now?  "I came to terms with that excruciatingly painful truth long ago.  You belong with Mamoru, I'm sure that what you think you're feeling for me right now is just a phase… you'll forget about me, I'm sure.  After all, as Mamoru said, you have all of eternity."

She stared at me stunned before whispering.  "I could never forget about you Seiya."  There was hurt in her face and she seemed a bit appalled by my nature, though it was beyond me why.  "Are you presuming to tell me that my what I'm feeling is a joke?"  Her tone was a bordering on anger.  "What I THINK I'm feeling?  What is that supposed to mean?"

"Odango I'm sorry, I just know that you belong with Mamoru."  I hadn't meant to make her mad, how could I ever dream of doing anything of the sort?

"I don't belong with anyone, I want you."  Odango approached me once again, stroking my face with her delicate hand.

"As much as I'd love to grant your wish, we can never be."  All of that time that I lied to myself telling myself that I had a chance with her, and that if she would just love me back then we could spend the rest of our lives needing nothing more than each other to make one another truly happy.  The irony of the situation, that I would have to face the facts of truth when that dream actually seemed within my reach.

Her head dropped down, as I saw the crowning of her golden hair.  "I know."  She uttered softly with her eyes still focused on the floor below.

I couldn't resist touching her.  My hands sought out to raise her head once more, to the place where it rightfully belonged.  I looked into her eyes and saw the confusion of her emotions as I felt the weight of my own.  It was so hard to do the right thing when such a distraction was placed before you.  "Odango,"  I was being drawn into her and her scent had long ago filled my senses making me long for her even more.  Her tears had dried up from her soft features and her red-rimmed eyes stared back at me curiously.  My face was but a breath away from hers.  "… we still have right now though…"  My eyes closed and I felt the subtle fire ignite in my soul as her lips brushed against mine.

Enticingly her lips danced against mine as our bodies closed the distance that was left between us.  I enveloped her in a warm embrace, drawing her into my being as much as I could.  Her hand perched on the back of my neck, putting more passion in our light sensuous kisses.  Though I had dreamed of this moment many, many times, those dreams did not do it justice.  To have my Odango in my arms finally, even if it was just for this moment, this memory would last me a lifetime.  "Odango… I love you…"

"I know Seiya."  She spoke lightly against my lips as her hands traveled up my shirt to caress my back.  I didn't know how much of this forbidden fruit I could claim as my own, but she was making it so hard for me to distinguish that uncrossable line.  As she parted from our kiss, I felt my shirt being tugged up and over my head leaving me exposed to the cool air of her room.

Her hands traveled down and caressed my stomach before wrapping around my mid-section.  Before I could capture her lips once more in possession they had already made their way to my bare skin.  Even the lightest kiss that she placed on my chest sent my mind mad.  All reality was lost and only this moment mattered right now.  She came back up licking my lips gently as she pressed her body up against me firmly.  Did she have any idea of what she was doing to me?

My hands smoothed out the lines of her dress as they memorized every inch of her body that they came in contact with.  Perhaps unconscious of what I was doing, only knowing that I needed more, my hands moved down the gentle slope of her back and over round mound of her bottom.  I hoisted her up and sat her on my lap, spreading her legs to surround me in the process.  

She moaned with delight into our kiss and began to nip at my bottom lip, driving me insane.  The heat radiating from our bodies was enough to warm that room on this winter's day, and the cool contrast of the floor below me put it into perspective.  No longer wondering where this was going to end, only enjoying all of her that I could, her hands directed my own to the zipper in the back of her dress.  I knew instantly what she wanted and allowed my fingers to skillfully work the zipper down as my lips cascaded down her neck planting wet kisses along the way and breathing her scent in deeply.

"Odango, do you want me to stop?"  I broke away from her breathlessly for a moment.  I didn't want to force her into doing anything that she didn't want to do, she had already given me more than I could have ever hoped to receive.

"I don't ever want to stop."  She spoke as she looked lustfully into my eyes before regaining my lips.  My hands traveled up to feel the soft mounds of her breasts beneath her dress.  Soft caresses of ecstasy brought about a subtle purr from her as she ran her kisses along my ear.  I knew now that I wasn't going to be able to stop myself; I needed to have her all.  As though she had read my mind, her hand began to work my belt free of its hold on my pants.  All the while she continued to allure me with her sweet kisses.

"I see that Princess Serenity has already been taken care of."  Zankou's voice broke the moment and caused my heart to stop at the same time.  I moved quickly to hide Odango so she could make herself more presentable.  There in the doorway of Odango's room stood Zankou, Kakyuu and Minako.  I was dead…


	9. Execution Style

Treason

9

(Execution Style)

There was no doubt in anyone's mind that I was guilty now.  The news of the sight Zankou had witnessed had spread fast and all involved in deciding my fate had been called upon early.  There was no more trial, there were no more testimonies, and I wasn't going to have a chance to defend myself against this criticism.  I was found guilty… sentenced to death.

Like a common criminal I had been slapped into a cold jail cell.  In the dead of winter this was not the most comfortable place to be.  The cool winter air seeped in from every crack in the wall to make me feel as though I was just a piece of meat waiting in a cooler somewhere.  I guess the analogy wasn't too far off, after all I would have my head lobbed off tomorrow.  How was that any different than being treated as a dumb animal?

On Kinmoku-sei it was believed that if and when a senshi was to ever go bad, their head needed to be disconnected from their body.  This would separate the bad and degenerate mind from the pure sailor star seed that they carried in their body; if the two were disconnected, when the sailor crystal was reborn it would be absent of the tainted mind.

Every now and again my ears picked up the faint clicking of heeled boots on the stone floor just around the corner from my cell; either Chaser or Developer's head peeking around the corner to check on me would usually follow their sound.  Never once had either of them looked me in the eye when they checked on me.  I don't know if it was entirely out of disgust or if they truly couldn't stand to see the sight of me in this cell.

I didn't blame them though, they were powerless in the situation.  Any attempts they would make to argue my innocence or to even refuse to guard me would be seen as their acts of treason.  It was a filthy disease, this spreading of suspicion.  Fingers could point to anyone now that a Sailor Senshi that had been sworn to protect the crown of Kinmoku-sei had been found guilty of treason.  Already the small groups of gossipers in the surrounding towns had begun their own private witch-hunt for my supporters.

The sound of heeled shoes on the stone came again and I didn't even bother to pick my head up in an attempt to make contact with one of them.  The strong scent of olives tantalized my senses and I knew just who was here.  In a moment I was to my feet and standing at attention inside my cell waiting for the appearance of my princess.  She wasn't alone though, there were more shoes sounding on the floor.

"Fighter."  Kakyuu said airily as though it was painful to even speak my name.  Maker and Healer flanked either side of her and my eyes played on them curiously.  I so desperately wanted to speak with my princess, to tell her that I was sorry to try and explain my heart, but I couldn't bring myself to speak any such things to her right now.

"The entire palace is on alert and we are required to stay in our senshi forms until further notice."  Maker explained answering my questioning eyes.  "The Princess wasn't allowed to come and see you by herself."  I nodded my head that I understood.

Healer looked as though she was fighting a horrendous battle in her mind, as her face would continuously flash from sympathetic to enraged.  I had no doubts of what was going through her mind, and didn't feel like opening the flood gate of insulting comments that would no doubt come from her lips. 

"Are you all right in there?"  Kakyuu asked, clearly trying to hold back tears.  What kind of question was that to be asking me now?  Of course I wasn't all right, I was waiting to die.  

"Yes Princess, I'm fine."  I lied.  "Where is Seeker?"  I asked fearing the answer.  Immediately Kakyuu's head dropped down a little lower, directing her eyes from my face.

"Kintra is confined to his quarters because he helped you escape your room, baka!"  Healer's snide comment wasn't completely unexpected.  "Why did you do that?!"  She had begun and there was going to be no stopping her now, I had no choice but to listen.  "You're so stupid, you were going to be ok, you were going to go free!  WHY?!"

"I had to see her."  I stated clearly and confidently, I knew she didn't understand, or possibly didn't want to understand but her anger with me was clear enough.

"You think risking your entire life was worth spending those few moments with her?"  Her gloved hands seized the bars of my cell as she stared at me in contempt.

"Yes."

In a growl of frustration she ripped herself from the bars and spun around.  "You're such a selfish asshole!"

"Healer-"  Maker tried to intervene though I have no clue as to what she thought she could have done to calm our temperamental friend now.

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe there were other people around that needed you?  What about our Princess?!  You would rather have ten minutes of your own happiness and in turn have our Princess be sad over your baka death for the rest of her life?"  That hurt, and I had to admit to myself now that my acts had indeed been selfish in all aspects.  My head dropped down so that my bangs shielded my eyes from them.  All three of them were staring at me, not saying a word.

"You're an asshole and I hate you now because I'm never going to be able to see you again!"  And with those words I watched as Healer stormed out of the hallway that was in front of my cell.  Would those really be the last words that I ever got to share with her?

"Seiya-"

"No Maker save it."  I started, cutting her off in the process.  Healer's words had stung and I hadn't recovered from those wounds yet, and I doubted I would.  "I don't need you to lecture me too on what a failed senshi I am, I just don't need it.  What good would it do me now anyway?"  I turned away from the bars, the stress and aggravation of the situation before were nothing compared to what I felt now.

"The Sol Senshi were asked to stay for your execution tomorrow morning."  Kakyuu's melodic voice reached my ears, and although it brought grim news, it somehow didn't sound so bad when she spoke those words.

I had no doubts as to Odango's reaction to this right now and as much as I'd like to think that Mamoru was pleased with the turn of events, I was sure he wasn't.  The other man, oh how I wanted to hate him, to have a reason to despise him other than the fact that he possessed the one thing that I would give up everything for.  I just couldn't do it.  I know he had only the best intentions towards my Odango and if she had wanted to be with me, if that's what would have made her happy, I was sure he would have condoned it… much the same way I had. 

"Usagi wanted to come down and see you."  Kakyuu continued.  "The council has decided that no one was to be permitted to see you before the execution."

"She was hysterical and you can only imagine how this was effecting Haruka."  Maker stated bluntly as she rubbed her temple.  "If you thought Haruka was on your side during the trial then she's taken a complete 180 and if this execution doesn't get carried out, she'll handle it for them."

Kakyuu stepped forward and placed her hands on the bars delicately.  What do you say to your friend who is about to die?  I wish we had more time… I took you for granted… I love you… What is my life going to be like without you in it?  Yeah those are all things I had expected to cross my princess' lips, but none of them came.  She stayed completely silent.

Maker was torn between consoling our princess and saying her good-byes to me.  I understood when she stayed silent and placed her arm around Kakyuu.  I wished I could have been standing there comforting my princess, being the one that could tell her that everything was going to be all right, but I couldn't.  I'd never be able to protect her again.  Who was going to protect her when I was gone?  I trusted the others, but there was nothing like the reassurance of being able to take care of things with your own two hands.

All of the battles that we had fought together, all of the times I had protected my world and my princess, and for what?  For our future?  I fought this time, I protected my princess and what was I given as my future?  Death.  

"I'm going to find Healer."  Kakyuu spoke up turning away from me.

"Princess wait!"  I called as I sprung to my feet with an energy that I thought had all been drained from my existence.  She turned and faced me again, I reached my arm out quickly and snatched her hand in my own.  I looked one last time into her brilliant ruby eyes that were filling with tears before I bowed down and kissed her hand.  "I love you."  I spoke in almost a whisper, even in the end, I didn't want her to give up on me.

Slowly her fingers slipped from my grasp and she walked out of my sight.  Maker stayed however, and simply stared at me as I watched Kakyuu leave.  "She's doing everything she can."  She spoke as she crossed her arms over her chest.  "She is completely powerless in the situation."

"I know."  I spoke not taking my eyes from where my princess had disappeared.

"You're not the only one that is feeling this guilt you know."  Her voice and words interrupted my thoughts as my mind came from its reverie.  "We're all blaming ourselves for not being able to save you.  Princess Kakyuu and Usagi perhaps more than anyone else."

"Why did he do this?"  I asked in a monotone voice, perhaps trying to suppress my anger.

"Who?"

My eyes flicked to Maker's purple hues and I was sure she could sense all of my raging emotions through them.  "Zankou, why does he want me dead in the first place?  What real threat was I to him that he had to devise such a plan to seal my fate."

"I don't know, maybe he really believes that you are guilty of treason, heaven knows he's gotten just about an entire planet to believe it!"  

"That's bullshit!"  I shot back not satisfied with her answer.  There had to be some great divine plan behind all of this, my life wasn't being wasted on some silly suspicion that Zankou had.  He wanted me out of the way for something else, something of grand design.  Well, I wanted to think he did anyway.  No one really wants to die for nothing, especially not a senshi.  For the cause, my princess or my love, those were things I could foresee dying for, not someone's petty suspicions or squandering needs.

"Bullshit or not, it's coming to an end now, isn't it."  Maker looked upon me with sympathy in her eyes.

"Sailor Star Maker, that's quite enough."  Zankou's form came into my view and sent my blood to boiling.  I didn't care at the moment how much he had heard of our conversation, though I was more than sure that it wasn't much if any.  I watched as Maker nodded her head and took her leave after sending one last look in my direction.

Zankou turned and waited until Maker was no longer in sight before placing his attentions on me.  "You did this to yourself you know."  He spoke with a slight smirk to his lips.

"Oh I couldn't have done it without you."  I said as though I was thanking him.

"I don't know why you abhor me so much.  I never once thought this would go as far as it had, I always had my beliefs that you were innocent.  After all, next to Kintra you are the Princess' most able body guard and friend."  His tone was fake and I could sense it clearly.  It was as though he was standing there slapping me in the face with his words and I could do nothing in retaliation.  "We will see one another in the morning."

I growled at him and he turned around in response.  His hand came up to rest thoughtfully on his chin.  "Oh and by the way,"  He spoke with a smile on his face.  "I suggest you take tomorrow's proceedings as a civilized being otherwise Maker and Healer are going to be forced to aid in your execution."

~@~@~@~

Even if I had tried I couldn't have slept a wink last night.  The bright morning sun was filtering in through the window of my cell in unveiled glory.  The day of destiny was upon me, the last day of my life and it couldn't get any worse.  Down the hall from my cell I could hear Developer and Chaser talking… about my execution nonetheless.  Talk about tactful.

They were discussing whether or not I was going to be executed as Seiya or as Fighter.  Developer seemed to believe that it would be more appropriate for my life to end as Fighter, since it was my duty after all that I had shrugged supposedly.  Chaser on the other hand disagreed and said that Zankou and the council probably wouldn't allow me to change into my senshi form due to the fact that it would be much harder to restrain me.

I shook my head and realized that it didn't matter either way, Seiya or Fighter I was still going to meet my end and arguing over something as trivial as this was past the point of worry by now.  

I sat and watched as the sun made its path across the floor of my cell and from its position I could tell that it was close to reaching the second quadrant.  It was almost time.  The echoes of footsteps resounded in the narrow hallway before my cell.  Soon my eyes took in Zankou, Judge 13, Chaser and Developer coming around the corner to claim me for fate's hands.

Standing, I looked them all straight in the eye not allowing them to see my obvious fear and anxiety, there was no point in struggling now.  I wasn't broken, no, I just didn't see where struggling would get me.  I would rather allow my mind to wander as I walk that short path to death, than have a clear mind as my body pumped out pure adrenaline to fuel my muscles.

"Do you have anything you'd like to say?"  Judge 13 asked as he unlocked my cell.  In a single gesture I raised my hand and raised my middle finger to defy Zankou.  "I see."  Judge 13 spoke as he raised an eyebrow at Zankou who was looking at me curiously.  With a wave of his hand, Judge 13 motioned for Chaser and Developer to take hold of me.  I went with them freely, I didn't want to hurt them for fulfilling their duty, this wasn't their fault.

We walked in silence until we came upon the main gate of the jail.  My execution was to be a public spectacle, a warning in a sense to those that dared to go against the crown of Kinmoku.  To think, I was being made an example of when this position was always the other way around.  I kicked myself now for not truly understanding some of the pain that the one's before me went through.

There was an Epoch standing on top of a raised platform off to my right.  An Epoch is Kinmoku-sei's equivalent to an Earthen Knight.  The sunlight reflected off his sword and the snow behind him, blinding me temporarily and forcing my eyes away.  As my head shifted to counter this bright flash of light, my eyes scanned over the crowd of spectators.  The audience for my finish stretched back farther than my eyes could see and I sincerely doubted that there was anyone missing from the mob.

I couldn't see my princess, Maker, Healer, Seeker or the Sol Senshi, but I knew they were there.  I could feel them, or rather I could feel their eyes upon me.  My feet were being led by Developer and Chaser's lead.  I couldn't look at the faces of the crowd any longer.  The despise and hate that radiated from their stares could have been enough to kill me right then and there.

I was lead up the stairs of the platform accompanied by the melody of the shouts of the crowd.  Amazingly there were a few voices crying for my innocence but it gave me no comfort.  The words were a blur and they might as well have been since I didn't need it right now.  Two more steps and I was face to face with the Epoch, he was no one in particular, and I had never seen him before in my life.  He did belittle me though by staring straight into my eyes defiantly cursing me for all that he believed I had done wrong.

"Seiya Kou, Sailor Star Fighter, you are to be put to death by beheading for the act of treason against the royal crown of Kinmoku-sei."  Judge 13 read off my charges as though they were a grocery list.  Added pressure was put on my arms as Chaser and Developer pushed me down to kneel before the Epoch.  My emotions swirled in my head and my mind was not thinking clearly.  All of the things that I had yet to accomplish and experience in life came to mind.

"STAR COMPASSIONATE BLAZE!!"  Rang through the air and the next thing I knew a green streak of lightning passed before me and knocked the Epoch from the platform.  The crowd was in an uproar as the turned their heads all around to find the source of the blast.

"Developer, Chaser fire back!"  Zankou ordered but the two were just as bewildered as the crowd.  I had however spotted where the assailant had been, Seeker winked at me before vanishing from my sight as well.

In mere moments a form landed gracefully before me in a true Starlight's pose.  "I suggest you let free your hold on him."  Seeker stood clad in her leather fuku with her star yell raised before her, threatening Developer and Chaser.

"Sailor Star Seeker, I suggest you rethink your actions before you provoke us any further."  Zankou stepped forward gaining ground on Seeker.

I stood free beside Seeker as she turned a cynical grin on Zankou.  "I am a Sailor Senshi destined to protect the Crowned Princess of Kinmoku.  I will defend her wishes without question, you my good sir, are the one that is going against them now."  By now the platform was encircled by Epochs with all of their blades drawn.  Never before had an Epoch and a Sailor Senshi gone against one anther, the upper hand would no doubt have always gone to the senshi.  This time it was different, this time the senshi was out numbered fifty to one.

"Ready to get out of here?"  Seeker asked me with a sardonic grin and I merely nodded my head in response.  I was saved, by not out of the clearing yet, and Seeker-baka still had her cocky attitude.  "STAR COMPASSIONATE BLAZE!!"  Seeker summoned her powers once again and blasted a row of Epochs.  The battle was on.

Battle cries sounded as the Epochs bum-rushed the platform to take us down.  I had my back plastered flat against Seeker's as we both tried to fend off the Epochs.  "STAR SENSITIVE INFERNO!!"

"STAR GENTLE UTERUS!!"  Three quarters of the Epochs were cleared out of the way by these new powers.  I looked around and saw Healer and Maker standing on the turrets of the towers.  They too in turn, came down to the platform beside Seeker and I.

"You didn't think we'd let you have all the fun, now did you?"  Healer winked to Seeker as they both turned back to what they were doing, an army of Epochs began to flood the scene and it was starting to look hopeless.

"You may be needing this!"  Maker suggested as she opened her gloved hand and produced my henshin broach.  My heart swelled as I set my eyes on the item.  Without hesitation I grabbed it from her hand and threw my fist in the air.

"FIGHTER STAR POWER, MAKE-UP!!"  This was going to be one hell of a battle, and if I died this way, I could at least take solace in that.  The crowd became involved in the commotion as well.  I sensed more henshins, it must have been the Sol Senshi.  With my star yell raised, I warded off some of the Epochs that dared to come too close.  We had to get off this platform and to higher ground.

I took the lead and leapt from my place to one of the over crossing bridges of the palace.  This agility I had missed, and not even the slickness of the snow could deter me from pushing every move to its limit.  I watched as Healer, Maker and Seeker sought for higher ground as well… and in time Chaser and Developer also joined us.

From my new higher position I could see that the Sol Senshi had indeed transformed and were fighting off the angry mob of people that had turned to riot against them.  There were no powers, save Saturn's 'Silent Wall' being used, and I knew that they didn't intend to hurt people.  "Seeker!  Watch out!"  I heard Maker's voice call out as I turned my head to see.

My eyes landed on Seeker just in time to see her take an arrow in the shoulder and stumble down the roof.  Her form tumbled and I couldn't say that this was helping the arrow that was now lodged in her shoulder.  The rooftops were slippery since they were coated with ice and there was no way for her to stop herself.  "SEEKER!"  I called out as I struggled to make it from roof to roof avoiding the onslaught of arrows and daggers.  

"STAR SERIOUS LASER!!"  I sent a blast down to back away the people that were gathering around Seeker's fallen form.  There was blood everywhere staining the pure white snow.  "SEEKER!"  I called out as I landed beside her.

"Fighter you baka, get out of here!"  She spoke with effort as she pushed herself up with her uninjured arm.  Ignoring her plea I took her up in my arms making sure to make my face look as strained as possible.  

"You need to stop hanging out in the kitchens, it's going to your hips!"  Her eyes narrowed telling me that my comment wasn't appreciated and I accepted it with a smile.  My princess, I had to find Kakyuu, she would keep Seeker safe.  There!  I spotted her standing over looking the scene from a cross bridge.  Her head turned frantically around trying to assess the situation.  "Princess!"  I called out and drew her attention towards me.

I carried Seeker's form, which was becoming less and less conscious by the minute.  I was almost there, my muscles were already burning, but I couldn't give up yet.  One finally leap and I would be safely on the landing with my princess.  Just before I was to land I caught a dagger in my left leg and faltered, dropping Seeker at my princess' feet in the process.

I cried out in pain as I gripped the steel blade that had worked its way into my muscle.  I had to tear it out, I closed my eyes and yanked with all the strength I had to free it from my leg.  Throwing the blade to the side I turned my attention to Kakyuu who was holding Seeker in front of me.  "Princess…"

"Fighter I'm so-"  Her tears choked her up as Seeker's eyes closed.

"Protect her!"  I stood and turned back to what was going on.  I saw the Sol Senshi teleporting, perhaps going to Earth.  Earth! It was our only choice now.  I made my way to Healer and Maker who were fending for themselves.  "Earth!"  I managed to get out between the pulsing pains of my leg.  The Epoch couldn't follow us to Earth, we could be safe there and return when the riot had died down.

But could I leave my Princess and Seeker behind?  Yes, they would be safe, no one would dare harm Kakyuu and she would in turn keep Seeker safe… I hoped.  This was our only option.


	10. Bombshell

Treason

10

(Bombshell)

We couldn't do it, it just wouldn't have been our safest move.  Sailor Star Seeker was injured and we were all leaving Kinmoku? No, they only wanted me.  Developer and Chaser stayed behind in the chaos of the rioting city to ensure our Princess' safety.   My mind toiled over the situation as Healer, Maker and I sped towards Earth not too far behind the Sol Senshi.  I had to repeat to myself that I wasn't running away, that the situation had gotten out of control and there was nothing I could do if I had stayed.  That's right, just keep telling yourself that.

Earth was straight ahead; the gorgeous blue planet was just the way I remembered it the last time I set my eyes upon it.  This time it appeared as less of a mystery and more like a sanction.  We followed the path of the Sol Senshi exactly, and looking back on it now, that might not have been our best bet.  

As soon as I felt the solid ground beneath my feet it was removed again.  I felt myself flying backwards as a powerful yellow orb crashed into my frame.  Uranus.  A scorching pain ran through my skin as a result of her energy.  She wasn't even going to get let me get to my feet to try to defend myself, she was already screaming out her next power call with her space sword brandished in her hand.  Much to my relief, Healer and Maker prevented her from attacking again.  My lack of sleep and wounded leg were not helping the situation at all.

"Uranus!"  Odango's voice called out and I watched as she ran quickly to the tall wind senshi's side.  It was this pause in the action that I had finally gained a chance to study our surroundings.  My eyes widened as I struggled to take in the devastation that spread in all directions.  What had happened?  The tallest buildings, that once tickled the skies' underbelly, were reduced to nothing but rubble.  The city of Tokyo was nearly leveled.

"They're responsible for this!"  Uranus accused us as she pointed her space sword at me ominously.  

"Uranus, you don't know that."  Neptune shot in trying to calm her partner, it wasn't going to do them any good right now to tear us to shreds while there may have been some other force still here devouring what was left of their home world.

I strained to try and lift myself to my feet the best that I could.  Healer was soon by my side throwing an arm around my waist to hoist me up.  This was pathetic.  I swallowed my pain and stood as solid as I could on my own two feet.  This act must have been enough to suffice Healer as she moved away, taking from me her human crutch.

"I can assure you that we have no idea what is going on here."  Maker said in a cool tone trying to calm the enraged and confused Sol Senshi, well maybe just Uranus.

"That's right, they are our friends, they would never do this to us."  Venus threw in her own two cents, but you could see that she immediately regretted doing so when she received the glare Uranus shot at her.

Sheathing her space sword, since that would get her nowhere while trying to convince her teammates of her intentions, she turned to Venus and spoke in a tone that could be mistaken for a growl.  "Don't you see?  This was all just some set up, and we were naïve enough to fall for it."  Her eyes flashed dangerously as she turned towards me before continuing.  "This one, she was never on trial, it was just a diversion to get us to come to their planet, leaving Earth unguarded while they could keep a constant vigil on us.  While we were there, playing along with her silly little plot, their other forces came to Earth and took over in our absence."

"You're insane!"  Healer spat back at her, clearly not amused by Uranus' assessment of the situation.

"Wasn't it convenient that this whole situation worked out for her greater benefit in the end?"  Uranus' voice grew louder now, as her temper brimmed yet again.  "She wanted our princess and sought to gain her by any means.  She destroyed our planet, she destroyed our future and for that-"  Uranus' sword was drawn once again as she loomed ever closer to me.  "I will destroy her!"

The tall blond senshi charged at me, evidently without fear.  I stood my ground, I wasn't going to go down with these accusations.  Without even thinking of it too much, my hand was suddenly clutched upon my yell and I had drawn it out before my body.

"SPACE SWORD-"

"STAR SERIOUS-"

By now she was almost upon me and if our attacks had no effect on one another, she would end up pummeling me over.

"BLASTER!!"

"LASER!!"

Our attacks collided in mid air, both equally as strong, and neither of us compromising in the least.  When at last we couldn't control them any more, both of us giving out at the same time, they exploded with a brilliance of light, and the force threw us both back away from the conflict.  My body was battered but I wasn't giving up yet, I wasn't even supposed to be alive today, right now, but I was and I was going to push my life as far as I could.  I spotted Uranus trying to get to her feet with the help of Neptune.  Healer rushed over to me once again to help me up, but I just brushed her away.  I was heated and not in the mindset to calm any time soon.

With great effort I raised my star yell before me again to continue this battle and the flash of Uranus' blade told me she had similar thoughts.  "STOP!"  Sailor Moon's voice rang through the dry and dusty air.  "Stop this!"  

My hand dropped to my side immediately obeying her command, but I saw a snarl cross Uranus' features and I could tell that she was more than questioning Moon's judgment.  "We didn't do this."  I stated bluntly, one on one to my odango-haired princess.

"I know you didn't."  She smiled back at me over her shoulder and I couldn't fail to notice the tears that had begun to spill over her cheeks.  A sound that could only be described as a sonic boom echoed over the landscape and the source of it became apparent.  In the center of what used to be Tokyo, Tokyo tower still stood and had become encased with lights.

Our conflict was dropped for the moment as we joined the Sol Senshi in their pursuit of the blast.  Driven by pure fury, I forced my feet to carry me faster and I swallowed the pain in my leg.  I knew my companions weren't completely oblivious to my condition, on more than one occasion I had caught sight of Maker's eyes examining me.  It didn't take a genius to understand that she was worried.

The inner Sol Senshi lagged behind, they couldn't keep up with Uranus, Neptune and us.  My inhibitions of facing Mamoru had fallen to the recesses of my mind and all my thoughts were focused now on the new threat.  The city was tougher to maneuver through this way, as it lay in ruins, new unforeseen obstacles emerged from the shadows of the night. 

Another energy blast sounded from the same vicinity as the previous one.  I much as I doubted that I could, I tried to pick up my pace even more.  "So what do you think of this old man now?"  A voice called from on high and sounded as though it was being amplified by a speaker.

I stopped in my tracks suddenly, an eerie resemblance had rang all too clear in that voice and I saw I wasn't the only one that had noticed.  Neptune's arm was out before Uranus' form to bring her to a halt so that they could listen.  Maker and Healer shot quizzical glances towards one another and then turned to me in response.  Zankou.

By now the inner senshi and Tuxedo Kamen had caught up to us and were too looking around curiously in response to the voice.  Zankou could obviously see us, though his whereabouts remained a complete mystery to us.  

This was what my trial had truly been about… 

My anger seethed as it coursed through my veins, and my knuckles tightened inside my gloves.  My life had been played with and my honor tarnished so that he could backstab our alliance with the Sol Senshi and in turn try to over take their planet in their absence.  Uranus was right, it was our fault, we were just as naïve as they were.  I had known that Zankou had been plotting something, but a design on this grand of scale, well, the plan to extinguish my life just seemed to pale in comparison.  

There were no more comments from Zankou, I didn't doubt that he was sure we knew exactly who he was.  In the moments to follow all of the Sol Senshi's eyes turned to us.  "Fighter?"  Sailor Moon's voice cut in.

A pain began to weave itself into my heart as she looked at me with those eyes.  "Sailor Moon, you have to understand that we-"

Maker's voice had started on what seemed like an explanation of sorts, but was cut short by a new presence.  A small girl with pink hair done up in two odangos, similar to Sailor Moon's, was limping up behind the group of Sol Senshi.  The Sol Senshi became alert immediately when they saw Maker's surprised expression.

"Chibi-Moon!"  Sailor Moon called out as the others looked on in astonishment.

"Mama sent me back from the future because this time needed to be protected while you were away."  Once again there were tears in Sailor Moon's eyes as she latched onto the small senshi.  Tuxedo Kamen also made his way over to the two, and I noticed a certain sparkle in the little one's eye when she caught him in her sight.  

"Small Lady, what has happened?"  Pluto asked seeming to be just as concerned for this little senshi as Moon and Kamen.  Who was she and why hadn't we met her before?

The little girl eyed Maker, Healer and myself curiously before continuing.  Her form wasn't built or strong, and her mini-moon scepter hung down like a heavy weight by her side.  "We started, well rather Mama started to noticed subtle differences in the future.  Things that were once commonplace began to disappear.  The only other time that this happened was when you were involved in a battle."  Chibi-Moon's head hung lower.  "Papa wouldn't let Mama go back to the past, he wasn't sure if it was a ploy to lure them away from the palace with the Silver Crystal or not.  I came in her place and found this."

"At first I didn't see anyone, bright lights that soon revealed themselves as bombs dropped from the sky and began to create the wreckage that you see now.  Each one of their bombs looked as though it could destroy a single city with one blast.  It only took them one day to do what you see here."  Her head turned wistfully to the side and you could feel the pain in her words.

"Chibi-Moon, did you get a look at who was doing this?"  Uranus asked gently but sternly.  It was strange seeing the brash woman take on such a tender tone.

The little girl's head shook from side to side signaling her answer.  "There were ships that had dropped in the center of the bombs.  They seem almost like control centers and that's where the men came from."

"Did these men look similar to knights or samurai warriors?"  Maker asked inquisitively to confirm our suspicions.  Her pink head of hair nodded and we knew we were correct in our thinking.

"What are we waiting for then?  The Epochs can't hurt us."  Healer stated proudly as she readied herself to march off into the destruction.

"No wait!"  Chibi-Moon waved her off.  "They DO have weapons."  She stated as though it was an obvious fact.

"Impossible, there is no weapon on Kinmoku that could challenge the powers of a senshi."  Healer retorted.  She did not like to be made a fool of by missing a seemingly obvious point.  She was right though, Kinmoku didn't have such weapons, and this was part of the reason we were so easily invaded by Galaxia.

"No, but there are weapons on Earth that could rival our powers."  Maker informed our silver-haired companion with a look of dread on her face.

"You always were the smart one Maker."  Zankou's voice came through the air once again and was followed by a blast.  

"GET DOWN!"  I yelled and pulled Mars down with me since it seemed as though she was frozen.  Saturn's yell of 'Silent Wall' penetrated the deafening roar of the blast and she stood before Moon, Kamen and Chibi-Moon in a protective manner.  The rubble and debris passed off the side of her shield and skimmed past us, nicking the exposed skin of my back a couple of times.

Zankou was obviously not satisfied with the job his blast had done and began to fire again, not allowing us to gain our ground once more.  This wasn't a soldier's fight, this was ludicrous.  When the second impact came, it had hit lower than the first, separating the ground that we all stood on.  Once again, even more quickly than the interval between the first and second, the third impact came and we were undoubtedly going to be separated.

I could feel Mars' body beneath my own as her chest heaved in her struggle to breath and get a grasp on what was going on around us.  We were going to be dead if we stayed like this.  I had to take that cannon out.  I pushed myself off of Mars in a struggle.  The howling wind that the explosion had caused pushed against my beaten body and created even more of an obstacle for me to overcome.  There was nothing in my way, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter, who had previously been ahead of me, had been blown backwards and out of my site.  I had a clear path, as long as it didn't fire again.

"STAR SERIOUS LASER!!"

My attack soared towards the cannon but not in time.  It had managed to let loose one more particle blast.  I watched as the blue light of my laser sliced threw the beam of light from the cannon and ultimately destroyed the cannon.  By slicing the beam however, I had caused it to emit an array of less powerful rays.  It hit all around us in a golden shower of light.

I no idea of Pluto, Uranus, Neptune, Healer, Maker or the Inner's whereabouts.  I looked back to see that Mars had made it through it safely and could see that Saturn had been successful in protecting Moon, Mini-Moon and Kamen.  Zankou's laughter came over the raspy speakers and played on my ears.  "I knew I should have killed you when I had the chance Fighter.  This should be interesting any way."

"We have to get out of here."  I spoke to Mars and she nodded her head.

"Sailor Moon!"  Mars called over to the blond senshi holding the littler one.  "We need to move!"

"No!"  Moon called back with disbelief in her eyes.

"Sailor Moon, he can see us here, he knows our every move.  We have to escape his eyes!"  I tried to explain to her.  Why wouldn't she listen.

"Where is everyone else?  We can't just leave them behind."  She stood and held her hand on her broach, her eyes searching desperately around her for any signs for our allies.  

I too allowed my eyes to scan the area and saw nothing.  "They may have already moved on.  We can't do anything for them.  We have to protect ourselves."  I pleaded with her to follow.  The little pink haired senshi took hold of Sailor Moon's hand and looked up at her nodding her head, letting her know that she agreed with me.

"I don't know what kind of rational that is, but here on Earth, we do not leave our friends behind."  Kamen spoke up, standing by Sailor Moon's side.  Did he really mean that?  He was going to wait here and possible put Sailor Moon in danger just to see if his comrades were dead or alive?

I watched as Saturn's eyes passed from Sailor Moon's to Kamen's to mine.  "If they are still alive, we would have a greater chance of keeping them that way if we tried to take down Zankou."  She stated and I let out a breath I had unconsciously been holding.  

I looked around to gain some sort of bearing on our surroundings.  We were standing where Juuban High School had once been.  There were no signs of people or carnage, just destroyed concrete.  Had he evacuated the entire planet?  I had no time to dwell on the thought.  I noticed that Tokyo Tower was still standing for an obvious reason, no blasts had been detonated near it.  That must be where he is.  "There!  Tokyo Tower!"  I pointed out before turning back with a nod.  Mars and Saturn looked at me with stern faces ready to follow my lead, but Moon and Kamen just looked skeptical.

Normally I would have just left those that didn't believe in my lead behind, but I couldn't, this was Sailor Moon, my Odango.  I swore to protect her at all costs, and if that meant from her own bad judgment, then so be it.


	11. Battle Royale

Treason

11

(Battle Royale)

The journey towards the center of Tokyo was a slow one and we had already wasted valuable time convincing Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen that this was, indeed, the most sound move.  Now with the burden of the little senshi they called Chibi-Moon, we could not move as quickly.  It was beyond me why a senshi so young and obviously so fresh in her training was sent to a battlefield alone.  I could only see her as being a burden and hindering the abilities of the senshi around her as they tried to fight their enemy and protect her at the same time.  That wasn't what was important now, my mind let go of its insignificant questioning and focused on the road ahead.

Mars had been completely silent since we started moving.  It was her and I in the lead while the other three followed a distance behind.  I glanced back frequently to check on their position and couldn't help but feel as though I was being pushed out.  I suppose it was insecurity, because what did I truly have to go on in this situation?  Had she given me the slightest inkling that I could be the one in her future?

"What are you expecting when we reach the tower?"  Mars' question broke through my thoughts and brought them back to more sensible manners.  She hadn't bothered to turn her attention in my direction, but still stared flatly ahead.

"I don't know."  I answered her truthfully as I kept up my pace.  "My guess is that we'll meet with a small army of Epochs and undoubtedly some more of his cannons.  I don't know anything about the cannons though, so I'm at a disadvantage."

"I'm not familiar with them either."  Mars stated coolly.  "But I do know this, if we take a shot in that close of a proximity to the cannon, we won't have a second chance."  Her head turned to me to emphasize her point and I just nodded, already having suspected the grim reality.

"They won't leave the Chibi one behind, will they?"  I asked as I inspected the three behind me.

Mars simply shook her head in response and looked up at me with saddened eyes that made my stomach sink.  "Fighter, Chibi-Moon is the future daughter of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen."  

I couldn't stop myself from looking back again.  A great feeling of loss swept over me along with what I could only describe as a sickness, and I felt my posture sag a little more.  I was facing such defeat and yet I was carrying on?  I knew Mars could sense my disappointment, my anguish and rage, but like a fool I only tried to mask it with useful battle information.  "I think it would be best if she stays behind then."  I thought bitterly of Kamen for a moment, unsure of whether or not it was because he had a child in the future with my Odango or if it was because he was marching that innocent child into battle.

Mars smiled as she looked back upon them too.  I was sure by now they were aware we were talking about them, though they couldn't hear our conversation.  "Chibi-Moon gives Sailor Moon strength."

"Chibi-Moon gives Sailor Moon a handicap."  I shot back a bit too bitterly.

"Do you really not understand, or do you not want to?"  Mars asked sympathetically with a bit of a smile.  I didn't even have time to counter her statement, having dwelled upon my own thoughts for too long, when a row of Epochs came into our view and stopped us in our place.  Moments later the others caught up.

We had not been spotted yet and took an extra measure to conceal ourselves behind a fallen structure.  "Where are all the people?"  Sailor Moon asked, once again concerned for the well fare of others.

"I was wondering that myself."  I answered without turning my head towards her.  I was finding it more and more difficult to look at her now.  Just a glimpse of her face was like torture and beauty working together in perfect harmony to besiege my senses.

"I find it hard to believe you thought of someone other than yourself."  I heard Kamen mumble beneath his breath, perhaps he hadn't meant for me to hear his words, but they reached my ears nonetheless.  I turned around and shot him a glare, telling him that I didn't appreciate the comment and caught the stern look that Sailor Moon was shooting him as well.

The man did have a reason to resent me, but not to take it out on me at such a time.  He had enough proof beside him that I was insignificant to Sailor Moon's future, his pink-haired daughter was the evidence.  "Fighter!"  Mars called me back to our task at hand.  "You and I should go ahead and scout out just what we're up against.  Saturn, you should stay here with Sailor Moon."

"I'll come with you."  Tuxedo Kamen stood with his cane clutched at his side.

"What can you do?"  I stood, staring him in the face defiantly before turning and walking away.  He didn't follow, but I heard the heels of Mars' shoes coming up quickly behind me.

"You didn't have to say that."  She commented when she finally reached me in my agitated state.

"I know."  I said bluntly, knowing that I had somehow fallen down a level.  I had just wanted to prove that I had something that he couldn't.  I was a senshi and could protect the ones that I loved, did it matter that I wasn't allowed to?  He had my Odango, but I could still pretend to have my soldier's pride.

Surrounding the base of Tokyo Tower was a massive army of Epochs.  I watched as Mars' eyes lit with what I assumed to be panic.  "It's not as bad as it looks."  I tried to soothe her.  "You and I can take the lot of them out.  What I'm worried about is why he needed them as decoration?"

"Decoration?"

"Yes, there has to be something hidden behind them.  Something we're not supposed to see until it's too late.  He knows full well that Epochs cannot challenge a senshi.  It's like a suicide wall."  I strained my eyes to try and focus on what could be hidden beneath the massive steal structure of the tower.  The lights that adorned the outer walls of the tower were shining outwardly and blinding me in the process.  It was impossible.  There was no way of knowing what we were going to face until we destroyed the Epochs.

"Are you sure about this?"  Mars asked skeptically.  

I nodded my head to show her I was serious.  "I'll go first.  I'm going to circle in from the right, just over that hill.  Don't charge until you see that I've made significant progress in depleting the standing troops.  If they do decide to open up with whatever is nestled beneath the tower, I'd rather only one of us fall."

The senshi of Mars stared at me with unsurety still and it didn't help to boost my ego at all.  I knew I could do this, I just wish she had believed in me as well.  "Ready?"

"Wait!  What about Sailor Moon?"  She had a hold on my arm and was looking me dead in the eye.  

I pulled my arm free and returned the stare.  "I don't want to see her in this battle, do you?"  She shook her head.  "Then we take care of this ourselves."  Before she even had time to answer my statement I was gone.

The pain in my leg was slowly subsiding as I moved much more quickly over the landscape of the once flourished city.  This was going to be one hell of a mess to clean up, there was no doubt about it.

My mind wandered to where Healer and Maker could be.  After all of this and throughout what was going on, I didn't even want to think of losing either one of them, but the thought was inevitably chewing at the back of my mind.  I was sure that Maker would have stopped me in my mini-quest just now, saying something logical as to why what I was doing was wrong or that it was going to fail.  How many times had she saved me from myself?  Too many to count…

I was just about ten feet from the first bordering row of Epochs.  They stood as though they were just nameless, faceless creatures placed there by some greater force.  This was exactly how I needed to see them.  I couldn't picture them with family or friends, I had to see them as mindless pieces of meat, otherwise I couldn't do it.  Rising slowly from my position, I loomed over them from atop my perch like impending death that stalked them.  Gathering the last of the breath that I needed, like fueling my courage, I began to unleash my fury.

"STAR SERIOUS LASER!!"  My laser crashed through at least thirty Epochs in its first run.  Not even waiting for them to produce a counter attack, I raised my yell before me again.  I wasn't going to let them touch me, there was no need, though a few thought they were smart and tried to circle back behind me.  It wasn't long before they found my heel or my fist in their face.  This wasn't a challenge at all, Healer with her whining and complete revulsion for physical exertion in training, put up more of a fight than this.

Soon I saw a snake of fire breaking a path through from the other side of our endless sea of Epochs.  I knew Mars had come, but I didn't know why she had come so early.  I knew we had to be getting them down in numbers, but I couldn't help the feeling that more were coming as we killed their comrades.  Each dent we made seemed to be filled with yet another mindless soul.  It wasn't that we couldn't handle it, the whole situation was just draining.

The heat at my back was becoming unbearable and made me risk a glance back at it.  My eyes widened in disbelief as I spotted the landscape around us in flames.  Mars' attacks had ignited the fallen structures around us and the inferno that had built up, would no doubt cook us alive if she continued to feed it.  "MARS!"  I called out trying to gain her attention.  She appeared deaf to my cries and I watched as she shot yet another blast of fire out at the crowd.  "MARS!!"  

Her head finally turned as I was almost upon her.  "You can't use your attack any more!"  I explained to her, pointing out the danger that we had produced while fending off the oncoming Epochs.

"What else can I do?  The only thing I have is fire!"  She shrieked as she noticed the cushion she had created between herself and the Epochs was getting smaller.

"We can't run away now, we just have to fight them off the best we can."  I explained but I could already feel my energy fading.  I turned in a half circle with my back to Mars and fired my laser once more.

"They're increasing in numbers, you see that right?"  She asked over her shoulder of me as she fought back to back with me.  My body flinched for a moment as she had confirmed my own suspicions with her observation.  

This battle was becoming more serious now, and I cursed myself mentally for not having thought this through all the way.  I truly did need Maker and Healer, we were a team.  A scream sounded behind me and it was followed by a dull thud.  Mars had been hit and was about to be taken down.  Now I was protecting her and myself both.  There was a circle of Epochs around us now that stretched as far as my eyes could see.  Where was everyone now?

Suddenly a bright light began to filter in through the bodies of the Epoch and reached my eyes.  A calm and serene feeling passed through my body at its touch.  What was this wave?  Since the Epochs had stopped advancing, I found time to pick Mars up to her feet.  "Sailor Moon."  The words escaped her lips and I watched as her head picked up in the direction of the light.

I turned my eyes to take in what she had seen and saw Sailor Moon standing high above us like an angel.  Her tier was raised above her head with her eyes closed in concentration while the wind rustled her skirt and wings behind her.  She was beautiful.  Ear piercing screams sounded all around us and I knew that it was the Epochs falling to her power.  I couldn't even bring myself to tear my eyes away from the sight of her to witness the fall of the enemy, she was too captivating.

When the light began to fade and my mind began to register more than just her, I noticed she was flanked on either side by Tuxedo Kamen and Chibi-Moon.  The magic died a little.

The Epochs around us had all fallen subject to her extraordinary light.  Her power was truly a miraculous and unrivaled by any that I knew.  A sharp pain flashed through my mind as I remembered just what was going on.  Before I even thought of helping Mars with her condition, I my attention flew to the base of the tower.  "What the hell is that thing?"  I asked incredulously.  My suspicions were correct in the fact that Zankou had been concealing something at the base of Tokyo Tower.

Swirling gases reflected a pale blue light and illuminated the steel structure of the tower from below.  It looked as though it was a mini solar system, or possibly even a milky way.  But that was impossible.  Such a thing couldn't exist under conditions like these.  Regrettable moments later, Sailor Moon had joined our side followed closely by Kamen and Chibi-Moon.  "What is that?"  Sailor Moon asked as her eyes stayed fixed on the unknown presence beneath the tower.

"That my dear is the outer edge fringe from the Crescent Nebula."  Zankou's voice enveloped us with a contemptuous tone.  "Surrender now and I will spare you this painful death."

"What?"  Kamen exclaimed as his eyes tried in vain to assess the situation.  I knew of the Crescent Nebula all too well and couldn't believe that we were facing a part of it now.  

"The soul of the dying star."  I said to answer his question and I felt their eyes upon me once more.  

"Fighter?"  Sailor Moon questioned me and I couldn't help but turn and stare straight into her gaze. 

"That-"  I pointed to the swelling mass of gas before us, ever changing in its shape and color.  "Is a shell of gas, a Nebula, that surrounds a dying star.  On Kinmoku-sei we called it the soul of the dying star."

"So it's just a bunch of gas, what is it going to do? Burn us?"  Mars asked not sensing the severity of the situation.

I shook my head, tearing my eyes from the fascinatingly gruesome sight.  "If it's resurrected, all hell will be set loose upon us."

"Resurrected?"  Mars questioned me again, since I had obviously not given her all the answers that she sought.

"It is a dying star.  I am a star.  Stars don't die, they fade away releasing their energy slowly, until ultimately they disperse in a built up supernova explosion.  The Crescent Nebula is an exception though, it is not just one star, it is a fallen army of senshi from long ago."  The stories that I was told came back to me, having never truly known the stars that were trapped inside the Nebula, I didn't know personally what they were truly capable of.  "It was estimated that it would disperse soon, his plan must have been acted on in desperation as he saw his chances slipping away."

"We have to face an army of Star Senshi?"  Kamen asked incredulously.

"Only if they are resurrected."  I chided, not turning to confront him.  "He only needs one of us to do that though."

"And where are your other little friends now?"  Zankou asked mocking us in the process.  He didn't let on to whether or not he had them, or even if he knew.  For all we knew, he had all of them, and was just waiting to feed them to the Nebula.

I was well aware that he wasn't just going to let us stand here forever debating the matter.  If we didn't make a move soon, he was going to.  "I'm going after him."  I turned back to look at Saturn, her judgment being the one thing I feared right now.  Her eyes narrowed a bit and I could tell she had felt me trying to sense her thoughts.  "You know what will happen if you drop the glaive, ne?"

The adolescent's face was still as stone as her head simply nodded at me.  If she were to lower the glaive to end the battle all humanity may be lost and not just on this planet.  The Nebula would suck into itself all of the released souls and power up beyond belief.  She was so considerably younger than Sailor Moon and Kamen, but seemed to hold a wisdom that they couldn't fathom, unlike her smaller counterpart.

"Fighter, you can't go by yourself!"  Sailor Moon complained holding her broach tightly to her chest.

"Yeah Fighter baka, did you really think you could do it alone?"  I turned around to see the sardonic face of Healer standing behind me with Venus by her side.  "I'm coming with you."

"Maker wouldn't approve."  I shot her a half smirk, amused with her cockiness even now.

"I don't see her here to complain."  Her face straightened out and I was afraid to ask.  Had Maker fallen?


	12. Unlikely Companions

Treason     

12

(Unlikely Companions)

The ring of fire blazed around us and prevented any turning back.  I turned to look over my companions; the flames dancing on their faces gave off an eerie glow.  My mission was the tower and now I had Healer by my side.  "Fighter, we're coming with you."  Sailor Moon stated, taking a step towards Healer and I.

"No, I could never forgive myself is something happened to you."  I was being sucked into her again.  Even with all of the animosity I felt in this situation, the bleak and hopeless future that it could all lead to, I still felt drawn to her.  As if their gazes were lit with fire, I could feel the small senshi and Kamen's eyes burrowing into me.

"SILENT WALL!!"  Saturn's battle cry scraped my thoughts and brought my mind back to sober.  We had obviously taken too long for Zankou and he had felt the need to provoke the nebula.  Sucking in the matter around it and compressing it into the most dense of materials, the nebula fired out a flaming ball of gas with a speeding bomb in the midst of it.

I looked to Healer and knew we had to make our move now.  The blast had passed us and I took my opening to escape.  I couldn't look back at her face, it would be too hard and I had to push myself to drive forward, Saturn was her salvation now.

"Who was the little senshi?"  Healer asked as we got far enough away from the others that we were out of earshot.  We stopped briefly to take in our surroundings.  We were moving quickly, but we weren't completely foolish.  I didn't answer her right away and perhaps that was my mistake.  The hesitation in my answer opened her mind to seek out all the possible problems.  "You're obviously not a big fan of her."  She huffed a bit and I could feel the unconscious scowl that had formed on my face.

"She's Odango and Mamoru's daughter from the future."  I gave her the information she was looking for in an uninvitingly mono-toned voice.  Quickly trying to change the subject, I motioned for her to look a little higher on the tower.  "We need to get to the top without going near the bottom."

"Please tell me you're going into this with a clear mind?"  Healer warned having paid no attention to my previous statement.

I sighed and turned from the 'battlefield' ahead of us.  "Listen."  I told her staring her straight in the eye, my form as solid as steel.  "I have a clear mind, I've dealt with this problem and faced my eternity long before this."

"If you say so."  Her voice irritated me beyond belief at that moment.  Without Maker here to play referee there was no telling when this match would end.  We didn't have time for this.  We saw the cannon blast before we heard it.  Knowing well enough that I didn't have to protect Healer, because she was fully able to fend for herself, I could move that much more quickly.  We successfully dodged the blast with a large comfort zone.  He knew where we were.

"We're going to have to teleport to the top."  Healer said as her gaze followed the curving steal structure of the tower.  

I stared at her for a long moment in contemplation.  I wasn't sure if I COULD teleport anywhere!  Between the original trip here and the massive amount of energy I wasted fighting off the Epochs, I seriously doubted whether or not I could muster up enough energy to support a transport for myself.  "Think, there has to be another way."

"What's wrong with you?  There isn't another way, unless you plan on getting yourself killed.  As for me, that was not on my list of things to do today."  Healer looked back at me and we weren't allowed to hang on her sarcasm too long before another cannon blast had been fired at us.

The dust cloud that had formed from the shifting concrete and all the other commotion was not helping my breathing right now.  My lungs struggled as I took in heavy breaths of the polluted air.  There was silence again and Healer looked toward me in anticipation.  "Well?"  She asked holding out her hand.

"I can't."  I stated with anger in my voice.  I wasn't pissed at Healer, no, I was pissed at myself and the limits of my abilities right then.  "We're going to need one more person, you can't power my ass by yourself."

"Then it's a good thing that I did come."  A voice said from behind us.  I didn't want to turn around, fearing that the voice did indeed belong to who I thought it did.

"Tuxedo Kamen."  Healer said surprised that he had followed us.  "Good let's get going."

"Don't think you're saving us."  I remarked snidely to Kamen as his eyes just narrowed on my form.  I didn't care if Healer witnessed the bitterness in my statement and he wasn't doing anything to hide his dislike either.  Healer's eyes passed over both of us in silent thought. 

Without saying another word to one another we were teleporting to the top of Tokyo Tower.  I had never fought side by side with Kamen before, to tell the truth I had never felt either way about him.  Now, having been near him for the greater part of the day, I knew my patience was going to be put to the ultimate test.  We were almost upon the tower when another blast came sailing towards us.  Having no way to steer and avoid the blast that quickly, our only choice was to disband.

The force field of light that had once surrounded us now dissipated and we found ourselves falling, plummeting down the side of the tower.  We had made it to nearly the top of the tower before we were under fire.  I had to latch onto something soon or the fall alone would kill me.  The cross beams of the tower were coming closer to me as I fell, as the tower fanned out at the bottom.  There was one chance for me to grab a beam that was close enough, if I missed that one, I was going to smack into the one below.  I doubted I would live from such a thing.

As if falling wasn't bad enough, the adrenaline poured from my heart and my breath caught in my throat.  It was now or never.  SOLID.  My hand gripped firmly onto the beam in front of me.  As the rest of my body caught up with my new position, I felt my arm nearly rip from its socket on impact.  Subconsciously I reached my arm out before me to grab onto the other falling mass.  It was a blur of black.  My shoulder ached once again as the added weight jerked at my hold even more than I had been expecting it to.  This wasn't Healer, this was too heavy to be her petite frame.

I looked down to see just what I had grabbed onto and there was Tuxedo Kamen staring up at me with wide eyes full of fear.  The brief thought of releasing my hold on his hand crossed my mind, but my conscious kicked in.  It always seemed to have the worst timing.  My body felt as though it was going to split in two from the uneven placement of the unfamiliar weight.  The aches and pains were thrown to the back of my mind as we became encircled by maniacal laughter that pierced my senses with it derisive undertone.  It was Zankou, and he seemed to be quite pleased with himself.

"FIGHTER?!"  Healer's voice called down to us.  My heart relieved itself of a small burden at the sound of her voice.  She had some how managed to find safety in the upper lofts of the metal framework.  Her silver ponytail hung down along side her face as she stared down at us from above.

"Go on!"  I called up to her trying to tell her I was alright, though I had doubts myself, I knew there was nothing she could do for me.  "We'll catch up!"

A sound that resembled a jet engine starting began to emanate from atop the tower.  "What the hell is that?"  I asked myself as I looked up.  Healer's face was staring upwards too.  

"It's the cannon!"  Kamen's voice shrieked from below.  I had never noticed the sound of the cannons powering up before, it was probably due to our distance from the barrel or the force field we were in while teleporting.  It didn't matter now, even though we had warning, we had nowhere to go.

"Healer! It's the cannons!"  I called up to her trying to get her in to safety.  I strained my muscles past any effort I had ever made before trying to pull Kamen up to me, but it was no use.

"It's coming!"  Kamen looked up and past me with horror and I couldn't help but turn my eyes up to witness our demise.  A brilliant blue light, with what appeared to be small light bursts throughout it, had emerged from the top of the structure and was now soaring down towards us at a tremendous speed.  Healer's form was gone and I thanked god that she had some sense left in her.

This was it, and there was nothing I could do.  Even if I did drop Kamen, I still wouldn't have time to save myself.  Immense heat radiated from the blast and I could sense it getting closer until finally its bright light blinded me and claimed all of my senses in it's warm light.

Excruciating pain surged through my back and I saw the skin on my arm blacken and peel.  The feeling was unbearable, and tainted with the stench of burning flesh, it almost made me lose my grip on the beam.  Thank god I was wearing my gloves, I couldn't imagine the extreme temperature that the beams had reached from the continued blasts.

It had passed.  It was cold… very cold.

"Kamen?"  I called down to see if I was still holding onto a soul or a dead body.  His head turned up to me, him top hat and mask long gone, I now saw him as just a man in a bad suit and not any type of soldier.  "We have to get off the edge, if he fires that cannon again, it's not going to be a pretty sight."

His blue eyes stared back at me defiantly.  "Do you honestly think he's stupid enough to risk another shot down the side of the tower?"  He gestured for me to turn my eyes down below us.  The blast from the cannon had only helped to feed the fire that Mars had produced during our fight with the Epochs.  "If the fire continues as it's going or if he blasts more, he'll lose his fortress."

"Even still, do you want to risk his judgment or test his insanity?"  I focused my eyes on him questioningly.  Why did this have to be so difficult?  I was caught myself thinking that even being stuck with Uranus would have been better.

"What do you suggest we do?  Fly?"

"Oh yeah, you're helping."  I rolled my eyes and wondered if he even realized the predicament he was in.  I don't think I was the best target for his criticism just now.  "You're going to have to climb up me."

"Nani?!"  He looked up at me shocked, his ripped and singed cape flapping in the night breeze behind him.

"I can't pull you up, I've lost too much energy, and it's too far of a fall to let you drop to the next level."  I smirked down at him with a nonchalant look upon my face.  "It's up to you, if you wish I can just drop you now."

The look of distaste on his face told me clearly that he was not pleased with the outcome of this situation.  Here he was 'coming to save me' supposedly and look how the tables had turned.  There may be justice out there after all.

He made his decision.  His free hand came up to encircle my bare thighs and then he freed his hand from my hold to wrap it securely around my waist.  I don't know who this was more uncomfortable for, me or him, but I was definitely leaning more towards myself.  His head came to rest again the leather that covered my hip.  Trying to make his efforts quick, due to his obvious discomfort, his hand reached up farther on my body once more.  "You had to be a girl didn't you?"  He asked as his hand searched for a place to hold onto and his legs enclosed around my own.

"Oh?"  I asked seeing what little humor there was in the situation.  "And you'd rather be wrapped enticingly around another man?"  I asked with my famous lopsided smirk and felt his grip falter for a moment.  "I can change to Seiya if you'd like."

"NO!"  He said, his face immediately becoming reddened.  "I mean no, I wouldn't want you to waste any more energy."

"Fine then, hurry up though."  I was amused but even though I could use both of my hands for support now, it still wasn't a pleasant experience.  His arm came up and wrapped around my neck and I felt the full length of his body pressed against mine.  He pulled himself up higher, his face a breath away from my own, and his leg wrapped in a very suggestive manner around my own.  He looked into my eyes for a long moment and I swear a blush crept over his face.  "Move!"  I demanded when he had successfully taken hold of the beam above us.

My muscles sighed in relief as the added weight had been removed and my own lithe body dangled below my arms.  Haven taken a bit of a break from the dead weight that had been attached to me, I swung myself up and onto the beam I had been holding onto.  What a feeling it was to be back on my feet.  "Do you need help?"  I asked as I looked over the side at him.  A frown marred his face and he too climbed up to rest beside me.  "I hope Healer is making out alright."  I thought out loud as I looked up the tower.

We had a perfect view of all that surrounded us in the tower.  The illuminating light from the Nebula below cast large shadows, but made our path clear.  I stood and he followed.  Without saying anything we began our march to the stairs that would bring us to the top of the tower.  The silence surrounded us and the only thing that could be heard was the sound of our shoes against the metal of the stairs.

My body stiffened as the tower began to shake slightly, the same noise that we had heard before rang in my ears as it echoed down the center of the tower.  He was firing up the cannons again.  I looked to Kamen in confusion and he didn't appear to have any more of an idea than I did as to what was going on.  Without any other signs, the cannon was fired, but this time not at us.  Panic pulsed in my mind as I could only assume the worst.

"We have to keep going."  I stated bluntly trying to push my way past him in the stairwell.

He shot me a disbelieving look with his brow cocked.  "He could be firing at them right now!"  

"And that is why we have to continue to the top.  This is the only thing we can do for them right now.  Standing here isn't going to get anything done."  With one final shove I made sufficient room to pass him.

I heard him begin to follow me.  "We're so different."  He said with a sigh.

"Yeah, no kidding."  I huffed back at him and continued my climb.

"I thought she had fallen in love with you only because you reminded her of me."  I didn't want to turn around and look at him, I didn't really want to be having this kind of a conversation with him… especially not now.  He laughed slightly before continuing.  "I guess it would have made it easier for me to accept that she loved someone else besides me, as long as they were just like me."

"Why are you telling me this?"  I asked as I shot around to stare him straight in the eye, not wanting to tolerate his heartbreak on top of my own any longer.  "You think you're the only one hurt by this?"

"I just thought I should let you know where I was coming from."

"I know where you're coming from."  I shot back before he could continue.  We had stopped on the stairs and I was staring down at him with anger now.  "Even if you think we are so different, we are both coming from the same place, though you know where you're going to end up."  I shook my head and turned my gaze up ahead to where we were going.  "This confrontation was a long time in the works, ne?"

I didn't see him clearly, but I could sense his nod from the corner of my eye.  I let some of my anger die down and I continued to walk up the stairs to my fate.  "I know you're going to end up with her, but I'm grateful for even the small moment that I got to hold her in my arms."  I smiled slightly to myself, sure that he hadn't caught it.  "I'd like to think that I don't end up with her because I die protecting her, and not because she rejects me… but wishing and fantasies will only get you so far."  It was as though I had just sealed my fate, admitting this truth to him and made it seem that much more real.  I felt my heart breaking in two, as though a piece of my soul had just been stripped away.  The light inside my mind that burned for Odango and I had dimmed to almost non-existence.  The swelling ache in my chest hindered my breath and made it hard to go on.  

"Are you alright?"  He asked as though we were friends.  "Do you want to rest?"

"We can't…"

"Uranus!  You don't really mean that!"  A feminine voice echoed in the floor above us.  I stopped moving and listened to see just who was there.

"Think about it Neptune.  If Fighter had been killed on Kinmoku, maybe all of this wouldn't have happened?  Hell if she had died in the battle with Galaxia, we wouldn't be dealing with this now! We wouldn't have become distracted!"  A husky voice that I knew to be Uranus' stung my ears as I heard her wishing for my death one more time in my life.

Neptune's voice followed, calmer and soothing.  "It's not her fault that we were lured away from our planet.  Pluto told us that this was supposed to be a time of peace and that we had nothing to worry about leaving the planet unguarded.  And just think, if she had been killed in the battle with Chaos, then perhaps our princess would have been too, and maybe we wouldn't have been here together now."

"Erghh!"  Uranus' growl cut her off, and I didn't want to poke my head up to see their situation and risk my neck just now.  "What if she chooses her… him… whatever?!  What if Koneko chooses that alien?!"

Neptune's voice paused momentarily, and then resumed a little lighter than before.  "Would that be so bad?"

"Nani?!"  Uranus' voice was curt and filled with shock.  "You're saying you'd rather see her with that alien than our own Prince?"

"He's not OUR Prince, and I'd like to see her with whoever is going to make her happy."  Some low guttural mutters came from Uranus, but I couldn't make them out.  I assumed that they were in no way flattering to me though.  "Just think, your 'friendly enemy' looks similar to Kamen, has the same attitude problem you do, and to top it off, is a girl."

I looked over my shoulder to Kamen to see how he was faring throughout this conversation.  He seemed to be staring at nothing in particular, while his ears picked up on the words that came from Odango's senshi, a look of mild contemplation sat upon his face.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?"  Uranus shot back.  I didn't feel bad about eavesdropping on the pair, not at all.

"I know how you feel about our Princess."

"She's our Princess!"

"Uranus, please."  Neptune cut off her defense.  "I know you wouldn't be totally against seeing our Princess end up with someone that was more like you."

"No… I guess… not…"  The harsh blonde's reply came a little reluctantly, and I highly doubted that she would have reacted the same way if they weren't alone.

"Good, because we have company."  Neptune said in a singsong voice.  "We know you're there, you might as well come up."

My eyes flashed to Kamen's and he seemed just as surprised as I was.  I could only assume that she was referring to us and decided that we had to face the music before they came looking for us.  They were after all supposed to be our allies!  My feet dredged up the stairs until their forms came into view.

Uranus sat leaning against a pole, for what looked like support.  Her hand was clutched at her side and I could see the pristine white of her fuku stained with the deep rich red of blood.  Neptune stood only feet away from her and greeted us with a smile.  I should have known better than to hope that she wouldn't have sensed us.  "Is it only you two?"  She asked examining the stairwell we had just come from.

"Yes, Healer is up above and we assumed that everyone else was on the ground."  I answered her giving her all that I knew.  Uranus wouldn't even look at the two of us, not that I wanted to see the scowl on her face anyway.

"You two make an unlikely pair."  Neptune mused.

"How did you two get here?"  Kamen questioned before our situation was looked into any more.

"We climbed up the tower from the outer most supports-"  Neptune started.

"Yeah and that burning piece of hell down below fired at us!"  Uranus answered.

"Regardless, we made it this far without getting hit, when another blast came.  With all the noise and trying to avoid the 'bomb' we failed to notice an Epoch waiting in the shadows."

"The goddamn bastard stabbed me!"  Uranus motioned towards the wound that spread from her side to her stomach.  There was no way to tell how big it really was, the blood, I was sure, was making it seem a lot worse than it was.  But I knew Uranus, she wouldn't let a mere flesh wound inhibit her like this, it was serious.  My eyes traced over the area around us and sure enough I found what remained of the Epoch that had most likely received the full impact of Uranus' anger.

"She can't go on."  Neptune looked back at Uranus who was taking staggered breaths while her eyes seemed to droop a little more.

"Are you going to stay here with her?"  Kamen questioned.

"No she should come with us."  I stated looking away from Uranus' pitiful state and straight at Neptune.

"That will leave Uranus defenseless!"  Kamen shouted.

"No, she's right, Neptune, you should go with them."  Uranus seethed through her pierced lips.  I know it had taken a lot for her to admit that she was of no use in the first place, and then to have to agree to the fact with me?  That simple fact probably drove her over the edge.  Neptune had no argument and simply nodded.

"STAR SENSITIVE INFERNO!!"  Echoed down the tower and caused us to turn our sights upwards.  Green lights shown down upon us from above in the center column.  Healer was still alive.  My feet picked up before I could explain anything.  She was only a few floors up.


	13. Resurrection

Treason

13

(Resurrection)

The smell of sulfur was in the air and rising up the center of the tower swiftly.  My nostrils burned with the contact as my body gasped for breath climbing the stairs towards Healer.  Fear swept threw my mind as I thought of Healer all alone above us fending for her life.  "STAR SENSITIVE INFERNO!!"

I made it to the top of the stairs just in time to witness a solid wall of Epochs being blasted backwards and scattered about.  As the tower rose, the levels became smaller and this was extremely noticeable on the floor we were currently on.  We had to be near the top of the tower.  Just like the situation that Mars and I found ourselves in before, as soon as Healer blasted away the Epochs twice as many would take their place.  "STAR SERIOUS LASER!!"

I watched as Healer's head picked up so that her eyes could in turn rest upon me.  A faint smile crossed her lips as a posture of relief settled upon her shoulders.  Neptune was already by my side and Kamen was soon to join us.  Again the Epochs started to enclose upon Healer and were now beginning to encircle us as well.  Neptune and Kamen did what they could to hold them off as I fought my way over towards Healer, I wasn't going to lose her now.

We had to be close to Zankou now, why else would there be all of these infernal Epochs around?  My confidence was renewed as was my will to press forward.  "He's trying to get down!"  Healer hissed at me as soon as I got close enough to hear her words.  I watched as her form, ever frantic, fighting to hold back the Epochs without her powers.  It was a smart approach, things didn't seem to be drawing to a close and we couldn't just go around sporting off all of our energy.

"What?!"  I asked, not seeing any reason as to why Zankou would be trying to escape the tower now.  She flipped her head back to swing the silver locks of hair that had fallen out of place, away from her eyes.  Compared to my own physical state, her's was considerably better off.  

"Over there!"  Healer round-housed a shorter Epoch in the jaw to give herself room to direct my attention toward the fleeing form of an old man.  It was true, there, on the opposite side of the platform was Zankou being escorted by a herd of Epochs.  His awareness focused on me for a split second and I could see the sadistic smile that now marred his features.  The taunt remained and I wasn't going to let him slip away this time.

"STAR SERIOUS LASER!!"  My laser blazed through the Epochs, clearing a path straight towards Zankou.  I ran down the parted sea of bodies that lay in the wake of my energy.  Though I had no time to really examine them, I couldn't help but notice the charred bodies of the underling men that had fallen around me.  When I thought my body couldn't do any more, couldn't go any faster, one thought brought my true potential out.  Odango… there was nothing between her and him if he slipped by me, well, there was nothing that I trusted and could put my faith in… it just simply wasn't me.

Tokyo Tower had two sets of staircases, one on either side of the lofty structure.  I struggled to catch up to him as I saw his head sink below the floor that I was standing on, he was getting ahead of us.  I growled in fury as I felt his soldiers holding me back from all directions.  Some of the hands that were holding me from the back were suddenly released and I felt them rip from my body.  I turned around and saw Kamen come up behind me.  There was a pounding in my heart, and I wasn't quite sure if it was my anger for Zankou or the anger that pulsed through me at that moment from having been partially saved by Kamen.

"He's getting away!"  Kamen shouted trying to pursue the same path that I had struggled on.  Turning feverishly and casting off all the efforts of the foot soldiers, I had to pity him somewhat, though he was the closest thing to a senshi that a normal person could be, he still wasn't good enough… at least not in my mind.

My eyes widened in horror as I watched one of our escapes crumble.  The staircase that Zankou had taken was now being thrown from the tower.  A group of Epochs stood at the top of the platform, they had hacked away at the staircase once he was off of it, and thrown it from the tower to prevent our pursuit.  There was only one choice.  We had to go back down the way that we came.  Zankou was gaining too much valuable space on us and my patience had already been worn thin.  "Arghhh!!!"  I cried as I turn round to wade through the menacing mob.  To our luck however, Neptune and Healer were still trying to fight their way to us.

Finally a break, I rushed forward with Kamen close behind.  Our small group was together again and keeping the Epochs at a comfortable distance, but much to my unsightly horror once again I saw our escape hindered.  The soldiers poured from the stairwell as though they were oozing from the crack in hell that I now believed they had escaped from.  "There's no time, we can't get through there in time!"  I pointed out frustrated.  "Damn it!"  I turned about furiously looking for another solution.  There had to be some reason why he was retreating from his supposed safety in the tower to the grounds below.

"What do you suppose he's doing anyway?"  Kamen asked after beating off a braver foot soldier with his cane.  My mind took a side note and focused all of my anger on his actions.  That stupid cane, who brings a cane into battle anyway?

"Fighter look out!"  Healer shoved me to the side, just in time to miss the falling blade of a sword.  I was shaken from my thoughts and immediately regretted the diversion.  We didn't have time for this, that was all I could think, and then if finally came to me.

"I'll see you guys down below."  I said as I walked to the edge of the level we stood on.  This was my only way, I had to go down the outside of the tower.

"Fighter no!"  Neptune warned, but I kept moving anyway.  There was no other way, they knew this, so why were they trying to stop me.  I stood at the very edge of the beam, looking down at the level below.  Zankou was undoubtedly descending the next set of stairs by now and had only two more levels to go before he reached Uranus.

I was tugged swiftly back away from the edge by a firm grip.  Healer's green eyes were peering into me intensely, but not making me rethink my position.  "The fall of one story alone will kill you with those injuries."  She warned, her eyes once again moving over the various wounds that covered my body.

"If she dies it's not going to matter any way."  I whispered to her, holding my temper, for I knew she would understand where I was coming from if I only said so.  As I had expected, her hold loosened from my arm and her eyes held a kinder light.  With an unpretentious nod of her head I knew she understood.

I turned away from her and the chaos that had ensued behind her to face the level below.  A soft breeze had picked up, carrying the heat and smoke from the blazing fires below up to my face.  I inhaled deeply, swallowing the pounding of my heart that had leapt to my throat.  I could do this, this was for her.

My feet left the ground…

I felt as though I was weightless and the fall was taking forever.  It was as if time had been suspended just for me.  Though I could feel the air rushing past me, stinging my eyes, trailing the tears across my face, it still felt like a dream.  My arm was out to once again catch my body from falling too far.  The familiar pull once again assaulted my shoulder and seized my muscles taught.  Reality caught up with me once again and the colors of the world stood still, but only for a moment… My hold wasn't tight enough… that was my excuse, it wasn't because I wasn't strong enough to hold on…

I struggled to gain a more stable position on the side of the tower but to no avail, I was soon plummeting towards the ground again.  I knew I would never reach the ground though, the way the tower was bowing out, I would crash into a lower level before that, I just didn't know which one and if it was too far down… well I didn't really want to think of myself splattered across a grated steel floor.  A shiver traveled down my spine and caused me to draw my arms and legs into myself.

Now, anyone knows that this wasn't the smartest thing that I could have done.  If you're going to fall and hit something, you want your body to be as loose and limp as possible so that it will absorb the impact with minimal damage.  If I were to hit the tower in this position I would certainly break my back.  I consciously tried to maneuver myself into a more sensible position, but in doing so I caught a snag.

My left arm felt as though it was ripped from my body as a sudden anchor caught my elbow.  "AHHHHH!!"  In all of my movements I had managed to hook my arm around a metal pole that was protruding from the tower.  I guessed that I had fallen three floors, but those thoughts left my mind as soon as they came when my anchor started to give way.  My arm was broken, I had no doubts about that, and I couldn't hold my entire body weight up on a broken arm.  The pain surged through my arm and was beginning to pulse into my back as well.  I almost wished that my arm HAD been ripped from my body so that I didn't have to feel the pain that it was causing me now.

"Persistent little shit aren't you?"  Zankou's voice echoed near me.  I looked into the level that I had landed on, struggling to regain solid ground and balance.  Across the way stood a large group of Epochs and Zankou, who was standing over a heap of a person.  Uranus.

"SPACE SWORD…"  The clang of metal sounded as Zankou kicked the sword out of Uranus' grasp.  She had grown even weaker than when we left her, it was no doubt due to the loss of blood.

"Did you really think that was going to stop me?"  A horrendous laughter came from the front of the pack.  Uranus' form shook violently as she looked as though she was trying to get to her feet in a futile effort.

"If you touch her, I swear…"  The wind senshi's threat was taken half-heartedly as she was kicked back down to her former position.

"You'll do what?"  Zankou laughed once more and then proceeded to kneel down to meet Uranus in a pretentious stare.  "They're down there, injured and just waiting for me to come and put them out of their misery.  You've done nothing to protect your princess and you'll die a failure.  It really is too bad because I could see such potential in you too."  His head jerked back as Uranus tried to lunge towards him once more.

Odango was injured?

"I will put you out of your misery if you just ask, otherwise I'll allow my army of Star Senshi to come and rip you apart.  It really is your choice."  Zankou stood, looming over her.  The blonde's breath was staggered and I could faintly see a trail of blood trickling from the corner of her lips.  "No answer?"  Zankou asked as he began to walk towards the stairwell.  "Through her over."  He ordered as five Epochs made their way over to the fallen senshi of Uranus to pick her up.

I had a choice to make, it was either save Uranus from being thrown from the tower, or stop Zankou from retreating further.  Before my mind could even think the entire situation through I found my star yell down before me preparing for the blast.  "…LASER!!"  The energy sought out its target and blasted the Epochs that were holding Uranus clear across the room.  The blond fell roughly to the floor but that was nothing compared to the fall she would have received if I hadn't intervened.  

"Fighter!"  Uranus faced my direction, her mood quickly changed from surprised to enraged.  "He's getting away!!"  She pointed bluntly to the stairwell that Zankou had slithered into while I was defending Uranus.

"You're welcome."  I said with a bit of a smirk and caught a light smile spread across Uranus' face despite the pain she was in before I turned to catch up.  The Epochs were dispersing and I figured that Zankou had left the majority of them to block our passage down the stairwells.  A question came to my mind though, why hadn't he just thrown Uranus into the Nebula?  There was something else in store for the churning swell of gas.

"Fighter!"  I heard my name being called again, but this time it wasn't Uranus.  I turned around and saw Healer, Neptune and Kamen running towards me from the bottom of the stairwell.  I couldn't pause long enough for them to catch up, I had to get to Zankou.  Despite my efforts to hasten my pace, they caught up regardless.  Was I really in that bad of shape?

Even though the Epochs were few in numbers now, our new enemy made its presence known.  The Nebula.  Random blasts ruptured the very floor that we stood on and shook the entire edifice around us.  There was no aim, and therefore, no way of predicting where or when it was going to hit next.  There was no warning like with the canons; the Nebula didn't have to power up, the blasts just spewed forth from it.  Our progress down the tower was slowed considerably.

My arm hung limply down at my side, I had no control over it any more, it was completely useless.  The earth below us couldn't come soon enough, as we staggered out of the building we came face to face with the ring of fire that was still encircling much of the landscape before us.  

The darkness of night still plagued us, but was countered nicely by the infernal fire.  Dawn should have been upon us soon, and I could only hope that it would make this situation a bit more bearable.  I looked down at my feet momentarily, feeling the wound in my leg opening once again and the feel of the blood pooling in my boot.  The pain was a thing of the past, it was almost as if my mind had blocked it out completely.  The dagger wound in my leg, the second and third degree burns of my body and my broken arm, and my overwhelming fatigue, they all seemed trivial now as mere ways to hinder my efforts.

Tiny reflections of light peered back up at me from below and my mind was taken from my own state once again.  There were small pools of water gathered at our feet.  My face turned upwards to gain the attention of my comrades to show them what I had found, but the coolness of their expressions told me that there was something I was missing.

Neptune's eyes stared off into the not too distant areas surrounding us, the ones that seemed to be on the edge of the fire's appetite.  I followed her gaze and saw the sight that had kept her attention.  Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Venus were laid out on the ground below.  Their forms were tangled with mud and even from where I was I could see that the fire had licked them more than once.

"It's about time you got down here."  Zankou's voice once again mocked us as he stood off to our right.  He paused before continuing, my eyes were narrowed on his form, but Kamen and Neptune still seemed distracted.  "Don't worry about them, they've been out for a while, ah hell, who knows, they could even be dead."  He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, he seemed more agitated that he wasn't receiving the full attention of the surrounding senshi.

"DEEP SUBMERGE!!"  Neptune's energy shot over the fallen forms of the inner senshi to extinguish the fire that raged behind them.  If they weren't dead, we certainly didn't want to see them burnt alive and they were too far away to help on foot.

Venus and Mars had been with Sailor Moon…

My heart pounded in my chest furiously and the adrenaline was almost too much for me to handle.  I couldn't see her and with the smug look on Zankou's face, I wasn't sure of whether or not he had lead her to her demise.

"STAR GENTLE UTERUS!!"  The purple energy tore through the billowing clouds of smoke and soared true towards Zankou below the tower.  A new hope was born in my heart and mind at the mere sound of Maker's voice.  My head whipped around and I saw her standing atop an only partially disheveled building, Pluto at her side.

The blast however didn't do what I was sure she had intended, in fact it didn't do anything.  As though there was a sheet of glass before him, Maker's powers were merely reflected back in all directions.  "You can't harm me this close to the Nebula, you of all people should have realized that one Maker."  Zankou insulted her intelligence and proceeded to laugh haughtily at her dismay.

The old dilapidated form of Zankou stood before us, unmoving, unwavering as though he was waiting for something.  He was alone with no Epochs to protect him, there was definitely something on his mind.  With his arms crossed over his chest he watched with a grin as Maker and Pluto joined us.  

"Are you guys all right?"  Maker asked curtly as she came upon us.  My first thought was to take her up in my arms and hold her tight, forgetting that any of this was happening, but such reunions were to be saved for a later time.  I noticed as Maker scoped out our physical situations, dwelling the longest on my own making her assessment.

"I'm fine.  Uranus is still in the tower."  I stated bringing her and I both back to the situation at hand.

"Is she…"  Pluto started with her hand drawn up thoughtfully to her mouth.

"No."  Neptune answered wistfully, her pain reflected clearly as her eyes closed momentarily.

"The inners fell just as we were coming around."  Maker informed them of their position.  "I woke up about a quarter of a mile from here and then ran into Pluto."

It was clear enough that Maker had noticed the Nebula coursing behind Zankou and I didn't think it necessary to point out the obvious.  Where was Moon?  "Are you waiting for me to tell you my whole 'evil' plan?"  Zankou called across to us.  I felt my teeth grinding unconsciously at his words and arrogance.  I wanted to bum rush him and wipe that smirk off his face, but it wasn't that easy.  He wouldn't be standing out in the open like this, there was something protecting him, he had something on us.

"Or better yet, I'll show you."  Zankou walked over towards the footing of the tower to retrieve something.  What he pulled out pulled at my heart and constricted my throat.

"Chibi-Moon!"  Kamen called out when the small senshi came into view being dragged by Zankou.  I did feel bad for him, but at the same time couldn't help but fee that this could have been avoided, she shouldn't have been here in the first place.

"Small Lady!"  The normally calm and collected senshi of Pluto screamed out, throwing off all restrictions.  Maker did her best to hold Kamen back while the rest of us just stared wide-eyed at the new development.  Where was Moon?

The small girl was conscious and appeared to be struggling the best she could against Zankou's hold on her.  "Once I throw her into the Nebula my army of Star Senshi will be resurrected!"  He grinned menacingly as he relayed his plot.  "They will obey only me, they are no longer bound to the crown of Kinmoku, and with them I shall take over Earth and then Kinmoku!"

"You're insane!"  Healer spat back at him in disgust.  "What good is it to control a planet when you've killed all of the inhabitants of that planet?  You're going to rule nothing but a floating rock in space!"  Her hands were clenched as her anger seethed through her teeth.

Zankou's head dropped and shook slightly.  "Who ever said I killed them?"  He stared at us from under his thick brows.  Haven't you noticed that the sun hasn't come up yet?"

As though we had never thought of doing so before, simultaneously our heads lifted and turned towards the heavens above.  The shock hit me as I saw the entire population of Tokyo blanketing the sky and blocking out all light that tried to filter through.  They all seemed to be unconscious as they lined the sky, we must have broken through them so quickly when we entered Earth's atmosphere that we didn't notice them.

"You're right, I wouldn't be erroneous enough to kill the inhabitants of this planet, who would I have rebuild it for me when this was over?"  He snickered lightly and pulled Chibi-Moon closer to him.

My anger thrust forth throughout my body and I did all that I could no to rush him.  I knew there was something up his sleeve and if I did risk a path towards him, I could end up injuring Chibi-Moon.

"Chibi-Moon!!!"  A voice called as it crawled from the shadows of the tower.  It was her, my angel.  Sailor Moon…

"Sailor Moon!!"  I called out and couldn't hold myself in place any longer.  I felt my feet carrying me as fast as I could down the hillside and over the debris, if I had tried to slow down I would have no doubt tumbled the rest of the way anyway.  Her body was beaten and her fuku was torn, I had my doubts as to whether or not I had been through worse than her.  Her odangos were all but free from their tight hold and random strands of gold hung down over her face.  I sensed someone behind me and I knew without turning around that one of them was Kamen.  

As soon as Zankou saw us rushing towards the fallen Moon Princess, he wasted no time in hurling the small senshi into the Nebula.  I reached Moon just in time to witness the entire act.  The blue light engulfed the pink of her hair and fuku and I caught sight of the sadness in her eyes.

"NO!!!"  Sailor Moon screamed in my arms and all I could do was hold her tighter.

The Nebula began to shift and change swiftly in a mass of swirling colors.  It was happening, the 'Soul of the Dying Star' was being resurrected…


	14. Courage in Words

Treason

14

(Courage in Words)

My vision went red.  All thoughts of myself fled my mind as I witnessed the true horror that we were about to face unfolding before us.  The strain on my arm had long since vanished; instead it was replaced by the light touch of two cold hands.  I turned my attention to the side.  This atrocity had shocked me to the core.  Though my eyes had seen many hardships of war, this was the true epitome of evil.

The blue eyes, filled with love that I had always sought to find comfort in, were now distant and wide.  I couldn't begin to fathom the shear pain that had flooded her mind and heart at this moment… to tell the truth I wasn't sure if I wanted to.  The Earth was silent to my ears, though I was more than sure there was sound still left on it.  The ground shaking beneath my feet was evidence enough of the fury about to be unleashed upon us.

"Chibi-Usa…"  Her breath was cut short as her chest heaved in an unsteady rhythm.  All I could do was stare… too shocked to believe there could be more past this point.  What gave her hope?  What had given her the strength she needed throughout all of her battles up until now?  Mars was right and now her words haunted me.  'Chibi-Moon gives Sailor Moon strength.'

I knew I should say something, do something, anything, but my will was not my own at this moment in time and my limbs didn't answer my call.  I watched as a lone tear made its path down the now dirtied porcelain cheeks of her face and felt as though my own constitution was about to break.  Then he came.  His face mirrored hers exactly.  The devastation that had washed over and clouded her eyes was also apparent in his.  Could they go on?

"Fighter!"  Maker's voice called from behind me and brought my mind to sober.  It felt like I was woken abruptly from a bad dream, I felt the hot tears marring my face and the overwhelming sound saturate my state once again.  The Nebula was coursing and growing, at the same time sending random shots, more powerful than before, out in all directions.  We were in the line of fire.

"We have to move." My voice was weak and I found it questionable whether it was my own.  Not knowing if I had truly spoken them or if it was just a vagrant dream I spoke them again.  "We have to move, NOW!"  I stated taking a firm grip on Sailor Moon's arm pulling her up to her feet.

"No!"  The anger began to build inside of me at his words.  Kamen stood behind Sailor Moon in front of me slicing through me with his eyes.  "We can't back down now."

My eyes darted quickly from his to the blond tenshi before me.  We would surely be killed if we stayed where we were.  My grip didn't loosen and if anything I aimed to pull her more securely into myself.  I wouldn't see her die.  "We have to back down now, we need the others."

"That was my daughter!  That was my reason for fighting!"  Kamen bellowed from his firmly planted spot, his arm thrown haphazardly into the wind in the direction of the Nebula.

Sailor Moon's eyes lifted from the Nebula and turned upward to face me.  "We have nothing left…"  She stated wistfully allowing more tears to silently spill over their barriers.

I didn't try to stop my face from twisting into the scowl that it did, my anger was brimming once again with her words.  "You have nothing?!"  I seethed gripping her arm, perhaps more tightly than I should have.  "You have nothing?!"  Their eyes were fixed on me.  "When all of your friends were gone, when you believed them dead, you still went on, you found hope in something…"  I drew a breath in, in a sense trying to calm myself down to relay my argument.  My hold on her loosened and I gently turned her round by her shoulders to face me indefinitely.  "Sailor Moon… shinjite… find that hope again."

Her eyes shown towards mine and I could see the faint flicker of hope that still lived behind those seemingly dead pools.  "Believe…"  Her lips moved in the most eloquent fashion, trembling slightly with her emotions.

"Believe."  

Kamen dropped to his knees and planted his fists firmly in the ground.  "My daughter… she was my daughter, not just a friend…"

"Believe Sailor Moon…"  I turned her back towards me, trying not to allow her to get sucked into his wallowing once again.  "She's not gone if you still believe."

I didn't hear it, I didn't sense it, but it came anyway.  My energy was focused on the Moon senshi before my eyes leaving me with no warning or defense against the tremendous blast from the Nebula.  My skin was on fire and the wind was knocked out of me.  The darkness was coming as I felt myself slipping into a vacant void in space.  I could hear her voice calling my name in a distant echo, though it was nearly drowned out by the pounding in my mind.  A warmth surrounded my body and I knew that it was her and as much as I wanted, no needed to hold on… I couldn't.

~@~@~@~

It was hard to open my eyes, there had been something crusted over them.  I tried in vain to bring my hand to my face to feel the assailant on my eyes, but my muscles ached with the slightest movement.  It was cold and I was alone.  I questioned myself as to whether or not I was dead or alive.  Wherever I was, it was quiet and there was a damp musky smell in the air.  Faint voices could be heard in the distance and all I could do was lie still and strain my ears to hear them.

"They've collected the bodies of the inners."

"With Fighter and Kamen down that leaves the five of us."

The voices were becoming a bit clearer as my sleep state began to wear off.  I was beginning to make out the tones and who was speaking had become apparent.

"Ano, four of us."  Healer's voice said a bit low with a sad note.  "I don't think it's wise to bring Sailor Moon into this battle."  They were talking about her in the third person.  Had Kamen fallen too, was he dead?

"No, she will come with us."  Neptune's voice was stern and left no room for questions.   "We can't leave her here and she's our only hope."

"What if Fighter and Kamen wake while we're gone?"  Healer retorted.  "She should stay behind and stay safe.  Protect your damn princess!"  Her voice had risen to a shout and if I knew Healer as well as I would like to think I did, I was sure she was on her feet.

"Healer!"  Maker's voice reprimanded her.

To my surprise Neptune's rebuttal never came.  "There are at least twenty-one reborn star senshi."  Pluto seemed to be collected once again as her voice conveyed evenness.

"Seven generations of warriors."  Maker added the facts, though I had already known how many were to come from the Nebula.  Twenty-one, you may not think that would constitute as an army, but these were twenty-one star senshi with a full lifetime's experience behind them.  We were merely minors in their eyes, still senshi in training.  My mentor would be among the ranks of reborn warriors…

"Fighter…"  The voice was closer to me than Healer's and the others', this voice was coming from beside me.  "Gomen ne…"  Sailor Moon's voice trembled and I could tell she was crying.  "What are we going to do?"  

She undoubtedly thought I was still knocked out and was not expecting an answer.  My lips parted to speak but nothing would come out.

"Let her rest."  Kamen's voice came from nearby as well, a little further away than Sailor Moon's but still in the same vicinity.

"I know."

"There is no hope any more."  His tone was hollow as if all emotions had left him.  "They will come and hunt us down.  At least there will be an end."

"There is hope…"  Her voice said though it sounded like she was questioning herself.  "I still have you… and Fighter and everyone else."

"What future are you fighting for?"  His voice hardened a little.  "The future we have known up until now will not exist!"

"I don't care about the future any more!"  Sailor Moon's voice rose to an angry level that I had rarely heard from her lips.  "They've taken everything they could from me so far, the future is not my concern… I want to hold on to what I have now… Right now is all I have… If I can just hold onto what I have now, I can make it through this some how."

"They're going to leave you… you know that right?  You're not going to be able to hold onto her."  Kamen's voice had grown softer and there was no doubt in my mind that he was referring to me.  Leave her?  How could I leave her again?  This time she needed me, I couldn't abandon her now.  At that moment all I wanted to do was tell her that, tell her that I would never leave her side, that I would give my life to her till the very end… but I couldn't.

"I can't keep them.  I know this."

"You mean _her_."

The room was silent and for the first time I could hear my own breathing as raspy as it was.  There was definitely some blood in my lungs and I struggled to believe that it wasn't from internal bleeding, though my body suggested otherwise.  That left me with a tolled time limit on my life if that was the case.

"I know you love her."

"This isn't exactly the time to be discussing this."  Sailor Moon shot back, cutting his words off from saying any more.

"This maybe the only time we have to talk about this.  There may not be a next time, I just-"  He was cut off once again by her words.

"Then let's leave it where it is."  She said simply.  "I do love her and I don't know what would have come of things, had they been different."

"Usako… things are different, there's no going back anymore."  With that my ears picked up a scuffle and it sounded like he was rising from his resting position to leave the room, or more importantly the conversation at hand.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips but she stayed behind.  I had felt her breath on my exposed shoulder and knew that she was knelt down beside me.  "I wish everything could be as it were before."  Her voice broke at the end of her statement in evidence of the distress the conversation had caused her.  "Remember that time when we met in the park?"  A sad laugh rang through my head.  "The sun was shining and it seemed as though nothing could go wrong, though at the time, to me anyways, it was as if anything that possibly could go wrong had.  If I had only known the darker days that were to come and the hardships we were to endure.  I wish I had truly appreciated all that I had taken for granted that day… especially you."

Warmth came in contact with my shoulder and the lightness of hair tickled my skin.  I sensed that she had laid her head down upon me and though I do not remember willing my hand to do it, or how it had, my own fingers stroked her hair back from its disheveled state.  With my sudden touch the weight of her presence was removed and she sat upright.  I knew this now for my eyes had worked themselves free of the stinging agent that had held them captive.  "Odango…"

"Fighter!"  She said my name but this time with joy behind her words, the sorrow had all but vanished.

"Where are we?"  I asked, though it was not the immediate worries on my mind.

Her answer came in hesitation.  "A bank that had withstood the blasts that Zankou sent out.  It was the only stable place we could find to seek refuge.  Are you alright?"

There was an anxiety in her words and I couldn't help but smile at her concern for me.  I tried to sit up and did so with adequate help from the blond beside me.  "I've seen better days, but I'm still alive."  I tried my best to flash her the smile I had always reserved just for her.  I refrained from telling her the true agony that was flashing in my lungs, there was no need to add more to her stress.

Her eyes had held mine until her head hung down and her gaze turned towards the floor below.  In an effort to comfort her with what strength I had, I took her hands into my own.  "Odango, I'm really sorry for what happened."  Her head nodded but she remained silent.  What words are there to say to express your sympathies in a time of loss such as this?  If there were indeed such words or tidings, they were lost on me at the moment.  "I understand where Mamoru is coming from with his feelings, and this may be a sore time to bring this up, but you have to be strong."

"I just don't know what else there is for me.  I'd like to think that I could be happy again down the road and that I can get over this but there's no guarantee.  I had seen my future and knew how everything was supposedly going to turn out, but now that it is shattered I feel so lost."  Her tears fell silently, surprisingly not followed by the sobs that she had displayed before.

I couldn't help it and wrapped my almost crippled arms around her, drawing her towards myself.  "When I was in prison and felt as though those were to be my last moments in this world there was one thought that made it all seem worth while.  One shining light inside myself that had made all of the pain and suffering that I had to endure seem not so bad, something that gave my life a deeper meaning and happiness, and that was you Odango."  I kissed her forehead and took pleasure in the feel of her skin beneath my lips once again.

"The single fact that I had met someone like you in my life had given it meaning.  Sure I had always had the duty and purpose of serving my princess to give me direction and make me feel as though I was something, but when I found you it was personal satisfaction just to know your warmth and the kindness of your soul.  I hate to see you this way… and I will do everything in my power to…"  I paused wondering if I could truly stand to the words I was about to say, but then the thought of making her happy entered my mind and all other doubts were pushed aside.  "… to get your daughter and your future back."

Her head picked up and her eyes, glistening with tears, shown directly into mine while a small smile played on her lips.  "Fighter!!"  Our moment was broken with the sound of Healer's voice as she entered the room.  "You're awake! How do you feel?"

A little too quickly for my tastes, Sailor Moon moved away from me and back up so that Healer had a direct path towards me.  For the first time I noticed my surroundings.  There was little light; a few flashlights had provided all the visibility that we could have hoped for.  It appeared that I was behind a teller counter of a bank, lying before the door of a giant vault.  Though it was dusty and the majority of the floor was covered in debris, the mahogany wood of the counters still shown with a light of their own.

"I'm fine, just a little sore."  I tried to ease her concerns and raised my hand in a display of my mobility.

Her eyes traced over me trying to sort through my lie but gave up their search when it was apparent that I wasn't to give up more of my condition to her.  "You were hit by the Nebula… you scared us half to death…"  Her voice was quiet and her attempt at a stern glare was faltering quickly.

"I can't believe you for once doubted the thickness of my head."  I laughed trying to lighten the mood, but to no avail.  "They've been reborn… haven't they?"  I guessed the graveness of our situation by the desolation in her green eyes.

Healer's head nodded in a simple gesture and I knew my assumption had been true.  "We're going to move out soon, we can't wait too long."

I agreed with her, if there was to be a battle or any sort of confrontation in the future I refused to sit here on my ass and wait for them to come and invade us.  "Do we have any sort of plan?"

"Eh… What kind of plan do propose we devise to go up against a small army of veteran Star senshi?"  She cocked a brow at me and gave me a look of confusion.  Obviously they did not.

"I had to ask."  I struggled to push myself up off of the makeshift bed they had created for me.  "When do we leave?"  

"We?  Oh no, you're not going anywhere!"  She pushed me down by my shoulder cutting off any further attempts at getting up.  "You're in no condition to go out there."

"You can't leave her here alone, how will she defend herself?"  Sailor Moon asked, voicing her opinions and concerns for the first time since Healer had arrived.

"You're right."  My silver-haired companion started.  "We're not leaving her alone, YOU'RE staying here with her."

"No!" I stated while standing defiantly before Healer.   "We are NOT going to sit here while you fight the battle yourselves.  If I had a choice between dying by the hand of the enemy in here useless or out on the battlefield hoping to make a dent in their defenses, then I choose to go down with a fight."

"I agree with Fighter."  Sailor Moon said.  "I owe Zankou a piece of my mind and he will feel it."

"Then we leave in a few hours after everyone has had some rest."  Pluto's melancholy voice appeared from nowhere as she stood on the opposite side of the teller counter.  "Healer you and Maker have the first watch."

Healer grunted as she hesitantly turned to walk round the counter.  Pluto did not leave immediately as I had expected her to and instead brought her presence closer to me.  "Where is Maker?" I asked, trying to escape her eyes that seemed to be burrowing into my mind.  What power her stare held, it seemed to be searching, scolding and thanking me at the same time.  Such intensity.

"She's talking with Neptune and Kamen trying to come up with some sort of plan."

"I'll go and tell her you're awake."  Sailor Moon left quickly, though I wished she hadn't.  I wanted to talk to her more, she seemed to be on a delicate balance of hope and dismay.  All I wanted to do was give her the strength that I could to go on, to let her know that there would be life after this moment.

No conversation ensued between myself and the senshi of time in Moon's absence.  Not that I had expected any to.  Soon my odangoed blond returned with my brunette partner in trail.  Her eyes preformed the same routine that Healer's had when she had first seen me but I knew I couldn't hide as much from Maker as I could from Healer concerning my physical condition.  "You can go on?"  She asked with little to no emotion to her voice.

I nodded in response.  "Can I speak with you alone?"  I asked passing my glance to Pluto letting her know that I would have appreciated her leaving.  She did so without my asking but Moon was a different story and had never caught onto subtle hints such as these before.  I saw no reason to push her aside now, this was after all partially my fault and this was her planet.

Maker cut straight to the chase and told me what they had come up with so far.  "We believe our only hope is to some how make it to the cannons that are still on and around the tower.  You know as well as I that the Star senshi's powers by far exceed ours even on a good day and we need all of the extra power that we can get."

"And the Nebula?"  I asked, wondering if there were still random blasts of death being discharged from it.

"I has shrunk down and the energy has died off, but there is still time."  

"Time for what?"  Moon asked completely oblivious to the workings of the Nebula.  

My gaze left Maker's and turned to Moon's in an attempt to explain our conversation.  "If we can defeat the Star senshi before the Nebula completely dissipates then they will be returned to their former state of tranquility.  If we cannot, they will be trapped here on Earth to be reborn and lost here.  Though we are fighting against them now, we must still protect and uphold their honor.  After all, it's not their doing that they have become evil."

"Oh."

"Neptune, Pluto and I were going to scout out the tower to see what possible means we have to attain some of their weapons."  Maker restarted our previous discussion.

I looked from Moon and then to Maker, I had a thought in my mind, but wasn't sure how it would fair with either of them.  "Someone should return to Kinmoku."  I stated bluntly.

"What?!  Are you out of your mind?"  Maker asked incredulously while Moon just blinked stupidly at the two of us.

"All senshi have a princess, ne?  What if we brought their princess here?  Kakyuu can control them."  I saw no flaws in my plan except the exertion of energy to make it to Kinmoku.

Maker shook her head and gave me a gold stare.  "No, absolutely not.  First of all, they are no longer under Kakyuu's control, they obey Zankou now that he is responsible for their rebirth, and their loyalty is bound to him.  Secondly you are not about to fetch MY princess to come into the middle of this battle!"  

I had stirred something inside of Maker and in seeing her anger towards me at a simple statement brought mine back to surface.  The gleam of blond hair brought it down a notch as Sailor Moon leaned in a bit and looked up at both of us.  "I think it's worth a shot besides, if someone returns to Kinmoku they could gain more help.  I'm sure Seeker, Chaser and Developer would come to our aide."

"If they were to come to our aide they would have already come."  Maker stood disgruntled, her calm temper breaking with the talk of our princess.  "I will not risk travel to Kinmoku with Star senshi loose here.  Can you imagine what would happen if Zankou sends even a handful of them off after us to Kinmoku?"

"But still-"  I started but was cut off.

"No Fighter, this is something that we are going to have to rely on ourselves for.  We can beat them and in doing so protect our princess at the same time.  If the remaining planetary senshi want to send their princess into battle that is their own choice but I will not allow such a tragedy to befall my own."  And with her final words she stalked off from our sight.

Ok – Time for author note here V_V;; First of all, we'd like to apologize for the extended break we've taken from this fic and hope not to encounter such hindrances again.  Secondly, you have to keep in mind that neither LiR or myself can stand can stand Chibi-Moon/Chibi-Usa… this is just a warning.


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